Queen of Fist
by HRH Queen of Hearts
Summary: "I need you to help me with something," Sasuke said calmly, staring Sakura straight in the eye. She smiled and held out her hand for him to take. She knew he wouldn't take it, but the gesture had to mean something to her former teammate. "Whatever it is, Sasuke, I'll help you." "I need you..." He turned his head away and folded his arms. "To help me rebuild the Uchiha clan."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: After thinking on it, I decided to categorize the chapters by days (...you'll see). What does this mean for the readers? Well, two things: on the bright side you get longer chapters (like 7,000 words...of epic Sasu/Saku fluff. Come on! ^.^'). On the down side, it should take me up to two days to post each chapter (I know, I know, I'm sorry! T.T). I find that this is going to make writing this story that much easier (because, trust me, it is going to be long) and a bit easier to understand.**

**On a completely random note: thank you to all of my reviewers! I really love hearing from you! I want to give a shout out to the anonymous reviewers. Since I can't message you to thank you, I've gotta do it here! So thank you.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Haruno Sakura wasn't one to drink. She normally left that up to her shishou. After all, the fifth really did love her sake, and sometimes someone other than Anko had to look after the old hag. Sakura never really did like playing the babysitter. Especially when Tsunade was so drunk she would get mad at the smallest things and unleash her massive strength on her favorite student. So when Sakura did partake in the consumption of alcohol, it was normally for a pretty damn good reason.

And for Sakura, this counted as a pretty damn good reason. She swept aside her cup and went straight for the vase only to down the sake like it was water. And it very well may have been water, the way it was replenishing her like a ninja stranded in the desert region. She almost wished she _was _stranded in the middle of nowhere. Anything was preferable to the current situation she was dealing with.

Once she couldn't feel liquid trailing down her throat anymore, she slammed the vase down on the table with such force that a crack split it in half. She ignored it crash to the ground in pieces as she wiped her mouth daintily with her napkin.

She looked up at Sasuke who was still avoiding her gaze. There wasn't a trace of redness on his cheeks, but she knew he was embarrassed. Those folded arms of his were a tell tale sign of his irritation.

Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose and held up her hand for the hostess to come. The petite woman in her kimono shuffled up to the awkward pair and looked between the two. She batted her pretty brown eyes first at Sasuke and then at Sakura. Neither of them looked at her, and she tried to push down her discomfort.

"H-Hai?" she asked kindly, bowing slightly at Sakura who had lowered her hand and glanced at her. "Is everything all right?"

Sakura smiled sweetly at the hostess. "Gomenasai. I seem to have…" Her green gaze flicked down to the broken shards on the wood floor and back up to the hostess. "…_accidentally _knocked down that beautiful vase. Would you mind getting us another round of sake? No need to bring us new cups, just the sake is fine."

The hostess creaked her neck to look at the Uchiha in all of his glory. Her smile twitched and she bowed further.

"Uchiha-sama?" she barely whispered, "I-Is there anything I can d-do for you?"

Sasuke, who was facing the opposite wall from the poor hostess, finally tilted his head back and sent the fieriest glare she had ever seen in her life. The woman slipped backward and fell down on her bum in shock. She held her palm in front of her face, horrified at those cold eyes of his.

"Just the sake is fine," Sakura repeated pleasantly, her smile cracking at the seams as she clenched her fists under the table.

"H-Hai!" the hostess yelled, scrambling out of the private room and slamming the sliding door behind her.

This evening had not turned out the way she had hoped. When Sasuke had invited her to join him for dinner as repayment for her healing him from his last ANBU mission, she expected nothing more than complete silence from him and an occasional hum of his disapproval of the cuisine. She thought it odd that Naruto hadn't tagged along, but she chalked it up to him being busy with Hokage duties.

She knew how busy he was. He barely had time to visit her at the hospital for his weekly check in with her to make sure the hospital was running correctly. Of course, it always was run correctly. Sakura made sure of that. She wasn't the head medic-nin for nothing.

That wasn't to belittle Sasuke's duties either. When the captain of the police force took time out of his busy schedule to meet with her, Sakura made sure she was dressed to the nines.

Sakura took a deep breath. "Could you repeat the question please?"

The candlelight between them flickered and the melted wax slithered down the body. Sasuke opened his eyes wide, the spinning circles of the sharingan blaring.

"I'm gonna kill you," he growled quietly.

A small gasp was heard from the doorway and the two turned to look at the intruder. The hostess was back with as much sake as her arms would allow. Sakura's smile returned.

"Domo arigatou!" the kunoichi giggled. She couldn't help but laugh. This whole thing was ridiculous. "Just set them on the table, please!"

The woman did as she asked and bowed. "Will there be anything else?"

"Yes, actually," Sakura stated, "I'd like some alcohol to go. Would you happen to be able to…?"

"Of course," she squeaked, "I'll package some up for you right away."

Sakura nodded. "Great. Because I intend to get drunk." She let out another giggle at the menacing stare of the Uchiha. "_Very _drunk."

The hostess bowed quickly and got out of there without a word to Sasuke. She wasn't going to get bitten again by that dangerous snake's glare.

"I think I know what you're really trying to say, Sasuke," Sakura said as the door slide shut once more. She grabbed one of the three vases and set it down in front of her. "You really love me." Sasuke's arm fold tightened as Sakura took a swig. "But you're just not man enough to say it."

The sharingan was spinning wildly now. His intent to kill was emanating off of his body. Sakura leaned forward. He wasn't going to harm her. He couldn't if he tried. They were equally matched now as Sannin.

Sakura downed another vase of sake in five gulps. The alcohol dribbled down her chin and this time she didn't bother wiping it away with her napkin. She used the back of her fist.

"However," she slurred, "I feel that it's taken you too long to come around and notice how great I am." She hiccupped. "And so, I'm not sure I want to give into you." She crossed her legs, nearly falling off her chair in the process. "My answer," she gulped, "is no."

Sakura had thrown the jug aside and was onto her third helping of sake. Sasuke was livid; his body tense and ready to pounce.

"And I am _very _busy," Sakura continued, waving her arms around for emphasis, "I have a lot of people to heal."

She stood up suddenly, thwacking her knee against the table in the process. Her half of the table broke off and fell on the floor. She giggled, swaying side to side as she tried to maneuver in her red kimono.

"I have a lot of things to do right now," she huffed, grabbing the last vase before it could topple over. "And, I've gotta go."

Sasuke stood rapidly, watching Sakura as she turned around, the alcohol sloshing out of the vase as she tripped over herself to slide open the door. As she stepped outside, she noticed the strange amount of people leaning up against the outside wall of the private room. She narrowed her eyes at them and they shuffled back.

"Hostess-san!" Sakura hiccupped.

"H-Hai," the woman said, prying herself away from the owner and other hosts and hostesses in the eavesdropping group.

"Where's my sake?" she asked through lidded eyes.

"H-Here," she said, taking a brown bag off of the counter and pushing it into Sakura's awaiting hands.

"Arigatou," Sakura said with a nod. She thrust a thumb behind her and giggled. "Uchiha-_sama_ will pay for everything."

She bowed deeply at the wide-eyed staffed and staggered backward. A pair of large hands took hold of her shoulders and she felt warm breath caress her ear.

The hostess paled and held up her hands. "I-It's on the house! N-No need to pay!"

"We'll be leaving then," Sasuke said, his voice vibrating down Sakura's spine.

She shivered. He noticed. In one fell swoop, his dark blue cloak was around her shoulders. He guided her outside, her telling him that she was fine and attempting to swat him away. He paid no heed.

"Sasuke-_kun_," Sakura moaned, "I've got this! Shannaro!" She threw a fist at his heads. All five of them. "Just let me go."

Sandals clicked and clacked as they made their way down the moonlit street. Sasuke frowned down at the drunken Sakura.

This evening had not turned out the way he had hoped. When Sakura had accepted her to invitation for dinner as repayment for her healing him from his last ANBU mission, he expected more than drunken ramblings from her and a wasted medic-nin at the end of the night. He had specifically made sure Naruto couldn't tag along because of his Hokage duties, and even convinced the Hyuuga he so desired to pay him a special late night visit after hours.

He knew how busy Naruto was. He barely had time to visit Sasuke at the police station for his weekly check in with him to make sure the station was running correctly. Of course, it always was run correctly. Sasuke made sure of that. He wasn't captain of the police force for nothing.

That wasn't to belittle Sakura's duties either. When the head medical ninja of Konoha took time out of her busy schedule to meet with him, Sasuke made sure he was dressed to the nines.

Which is why when Sakura vomited all over his clothes, Sasuke wasn't all too pleased. His eyebrow twitched. This was going to be harder than he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"Okay, now that you've had my cure for massive hangovers," Ino said as she sat back down on the couch in her living room, "Tell me exactly _why _a vomit covered Sasuke-kun literally carried you in his arms to my place last night." She poked her best friend in the chest. "And don't leave out any details!"

Sakura swallowed the last gulp of the concoction Ino had made for her and pressed her fingers to her temple. The previous night had been a blur. One minute she was fine and the next she had been falling all over the place. Sakura set her mouth in a line of determination.

But what happened to make her so drunk?

_"I need you to help me with something," Sasuke said calmly, staring Sakura straight in the eye_

_ She smiled and held out her hand for him to take. She knew he wouldn't take it, but the gesture had to mean something to her former teammate._

_"Whatever it is, Sasuke, I'll help you."_

Ah. That. Sakura blushed and sank further into Sasuke's cloak that was still wrapped around her shoulders.

"You remember something," Ino prodded, scooting closer, her bright blue eyes twinkling.

Sakura grimaced as she croaked, "I think I feel vomit coming up again."

Ino wiggled her eyebrows and grinned. "This oughtta be good!"

The pink haired kunoichi frowned at her long time rival. It was embarrassing to say out loud, and she was positive that Sasuke didn't want her talking about what had happened at the restaurant.

She paused.

Fuck it. Sasuke clearly hadn't thought of her feelings when he so boldly declared it, so why should she care if the whole town talked about it?

"I rejected him," Sakura finally said.

Ino squealed. "So he _did _ask you out." She lightly hit Sakura on the shoulder. "Atta girl! Play hard to get! He'll come back harder than before!"

Sakura shook her head slowly. "He didn't ask me out."

Ino's bright beam turned into a sly smile. "Asked you to be his girlfriend?"

"No."

Ino's lips formed a line. "Asked you to go with him on a mission?"

"…No."

Ino frowned. "Asked you to train with him?"

"…"

Ino groaned and smacked her forehead. "Then what's there to reject?"

Sakura had enough of a headache without Ino interrogating her for answers. She sipped at the disgusting red goop at the bottom of her cup. Whatever it was Ino had made had done the trick in dragging her out of her hangover.

"He wants me to help him rebuild the Uchiha clan," Sakura sighed. She tugged the pillow in her lap to her face. "Now can I go back to sleep?"

The scream in her ear clearly meant 'no.'

"And you _rejected _him?" Ino screeched, "What is _wrong _with you?"

"Oh, I don't know," Sakura said calmly, "How about the fact that we're just teammates? Or that we're not even in a relationship?" She ran her fingers through her messy hair. "It came out of nowhere, Ino. How else was I supposed to respond?"

Ino tried to settle her pounding heart in order to help sooth her friend. Her eyes looked over the tired woman, taking note of the dark circles. She frowned.

"What's really going on, Sakura?" she asked quietly.

Sakura glanced at Ino. "I love him." Her chest throbbed. "But if he just sees me as the mother of his future children, then I can't do it."

Ino tilted her head. "What's so wrong with looking to the future?"

Sakura smiled sadly. "He doesn't see me in the now." She folded her arms angrily. "I mean, what kind of man does that?" She puffed. "We're not even dating!"

"I guess that's one way of proposing," Ino said, hopelessly searching for the positivity in the issue.

"He shouldn't even _be _proposing," Sakura said, placing the cup down on the coffee table and curling up her legs to her chest. "If that can count as a proposal at all. Maybe he just wants me to have his kids without commitment." She stretched her arms behind her head. "Or maybe he just wants to build a harem with his adoring fans and decided to lump me in there."

Ino pursed her lips. She didn't know Sasuke as well as Sakura did. Hell, even when they were kids, she secretly knew Sakura always had an advantage with her perceptive nature. But in that moment, she knew her dear friend was just scratching at excuses to avoid the real issue.

"Sakura," Ino said softly, placing her hand over Sakura's, "What're you afraid of?"

Anger bubbled up in Sakura's chest and she tilted her chin stubbornly. She smirked and closed her eyes wisely. Placing her index finger to her cheek, she scoffed.

"Why, Ino-pig," Sakura stated, "I'm not afraid of anything." She peeked one eye open to view her friend's figure. "You, however, might want to be afraid of the scale." She cheekily grinned. "You're packing on the pounds these days."

Ino snapped. She smacked Sakura on the head and stuck out her tongue.

"Forehead-girl!" she mocked.

Sakura laughed and leaned back in the couch. That was how it should have been between the two of them. She didn't feel like dealing with Sasuke and the problem he had brought up. No, she needed a breather.

It wasn't that Haruno Sakura wasn't used to men's attention. She was quite familiar with it. This included the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good was a compliment concerning her talent and skill. A date on a Friday night after her shift at the hospital let out. The good was a flower in her hair and a caress to her cheek. She smiled at the memories of Naruto and Lee-kun showing her such affection. The bad, of course, was when Sasuke ignored her admiration. The day he left with nothing but a thank you echoing in her ears. And the ugly: Sai.

Sakura pulled back a grimace trembling at her lips. Ino and Sai were an item, and she had to be the understanding best friend. Although, looking at her dear comrade as they sat on the couch, she questioned her taste in men.

Now that Sasuke had shown a legit interest in her, Sakura had expected fiery passion. When she touched the flames, it froze her. Her skin should have cracked and peeled from its heat. She looked into the fire and it was pitch black. Through the smoke, Sasuke called to her. He asked her to rebuild his clan. But Sakura wasn't ready to make her way through that fire yet. She couldn't do it alone. No, she needed something…

Her eyebrow quirked up as something prodded her back. She sat up straight, twisted around and pulled the pillow up behind her. There, in the crevice of the couch, was a vase. Sakura looked at Ino in confusion.

"What the hell…?"

"Oh yeah," Ino chuckled, "You wouldn't let go of that thing for the life of you last night." She bit her lower lip, holding back the hysterical laughter threatening to come out at any moment. "You cuddled with it all night long." She tilted her head. "Sasuke said it was from _Yokohama_."

Sakura paled. "Don't ever speak of this to anyone."

Ino grinned. "Of course, _Uchiha Sakura_."

Sakura blushed and turned her head away. "Not happening."

Ino stretched out her feet on the coffee table and leaned back. She could still see the small tint of pink on Sakura's face, but she wasn't stupid enough to bring it up.

"So let's say Sasuke tries again," Ino said, "What'll you do?"

"He won't," Sakura shot back. "I think he got enough embarrassment last night." She shook her head. "The whole restaurant heard my rejection and I vomited on him. There's no way he's coming back for more after that."

Ino shrugged. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," Sakura said nonchalantly. "There is no way Uchiha Sasuke will ask me again."

* * *

Being the head medical ninja of Konoha meant three things for Haruno Sakura. The first was that she was expected to clock in more hours than any other medical ninja in the leaf village. That much was easy—she practically lived there before she was placed in that position, so this was no change. The second was that any ailment of the Hokage's was her responsibility.

For example, if Naruto happened to mistake the expired milk in his refrigerator as something drinkable, it was Sakura's job to relieve him of that diuretic problem. Or if Naruto accidentally took it too far in a "friendly" sparring match with Sasuke, it was her duty to apply first aid to the two idiots. Let's say just for kicks that Naruto tried to sneak a kiss on Hinata's neck during her private practice and wound up fatally wounded to the point no other medic nin could heal him. It was her _personal privilege _to revive the Hokage.

Sakura's eye twitched. Yes. Those were two of her three expectations as head medical ninja of Konoha. And what wonderful, unspoken expectations they were.

Sakura shuffled the paperwork on her desk. She narrowed her eyes. It was quiet. The seat she was in creaked. Too quiet. Shoving the chair back, she stood up and walked to the closed door in one swift movement.

Kicking the door open with her foot, she watched as three of the new nurses fell to the ground. Sakura pressed her fist to her palm in irritation. Ah yes. Being the head medical ninja of Konoha meant three things for Haruno Sakura. The first was she was expected to clock in more hours than any other medical ninja in the leaf village. The second was that any ailment of the Hokage's was her responsibility. And the third…

"What piece of gossip do you have on me this time?" Sakura asked sweetly, cracking her knuckles.

The third was having everybody and anybody in her business at all times.

"S-Sakura-sama," Hiroshi gasped, straightening her cap and struggling to her feet. "W-We were—"

"Just passing by!" Kenji squealed. She held her clipboard in front of her beet red face.

Sakura glanced at Haruhi who was staring straight at the ground. His bright red bangs covered his dark yellow eyes. She grinned.

"Oh, I see," Sakura said with a nod. "Just passing by." She waved them on cheerfully. "Then I'll see you at five for your reports!"

"H-Hai!" Hiroshi said with a bow.

They started to make their way down the hospital hall. Their shuffling steps and their whispers of how they barely made it didn't carry to Sakura's ears. She watched them as they made it to the intersection, and that's when she decided to have a bit of fun.

"Ne, minna!" Sakura called down the hall, "Want me to teach you something?"

She made her way down toward them. She cracked her back in the process. Paperwork was a more strenuous than it looked and she was due for a break. Looking at the mischievous trio, she decided they were just the break she was looking for.

"Hai, Sakura-sama?" Haruhi asked quietly.

"You want to know how someone's lying?" Sakura asked with a wink.

Hiroshi gulped loudly. Sakura suppressed her laughter.

"There are a lot of simple ways," she continued, "Their eyebrows will draw upwards," she used her index finger to trace on Hiroshi's forehead, "towards the middle of the forehead, causing short lines to appear across the skin of the forehead."

She tilted her head to Kenji who was starting to sweat. "Check for sweating." Kenji blushed. "People tend to sweat more when they're lying." The nurse swallowed nervously. "Or when they're under severe stress."

"Another way," Sakura said, turning to Haruhi who looked shaken to his core, "Is to check the throat." She gently touched Haruhi's throat. "Lying causes their body to increase production of adrenaline." She lightly pressed against his laryngeal prominence. "It gets the saliva pumping, but it creates very little moisture for the throat…" She let her nails linger there for a moment. "So the liar might swallow or gulp a lot when being interrogated."

The trio cleared their throats in unison. Sakura smiled innocently and let her hand drop.

"That's all," she said cheerfully, "Have a great day!" They ran down the hallway before she could get out, "And remember to be in my office at five for your reports!"

"Haruno Sakura," a monotonous voice from behind said, "What troublesome activity are you up to today?"

"Shikamaru!" Sakura giggled, turning around and smiling at her dear friend. "What are you doing here?"

He scratched the back of his head and yawned. "I've gotta get a check up. Naruto's sending me on an S ranked mission again." He frowned. "I need shots."

Sakura thought for a moment. "Isn't your normal doctor…?"

"Shikamaru!" the melodic voice of Yamanaka Ino screamed, "Where are you? You need your vaccinations!" Sakura winced. "Just bend over and let's get this over with!"

Shikamaru went white in the face. He didn't have to say the words.

Sakura grabbed his hand and guided him into her office. She bolted the door shut after hoisting a "Do Not Disturb" sign up. Everyone in the hospital knew not to interrupt her when that sign was up. And if they ever did disturb her, they knew they'd be dead in less than a millisecond.

She blew out some hot air, hoping it would settle the steam coming out of her ears. First Sasuke asked her to help him rebuild his clan, then she got drunk as a result of that horrid evening and a day later she had to give Shikamaru who knows how many shots in the ass. She clenched her fists. It really wasn't her week.

Sakura smiled sympathetically at the battle tactician leaning against her desk. He fiddled anxiously with her favorite red pen. She sighed and went into the private records library attached to her office.

"So how's Temari doing?" she asked.

"Fine," he said coolly. "She moves here in a week."

Sakura nodded. They had been going steady for a while now. It was about time they moved in together.

Her fingers danced between the N files until they came across Nara, Shikamaru. She flipped it open and eyed the necessary shots.

"Yikes," she laughed nervously, "Two in the ass today, huh?"

"Tell me about it," Shikamaru groaned, "It's gonna be so troublesome."

Sakura went further into the private records room to the section where she kept extra medicines and vaccines. She plucked out one shot filled with blue liquid and looked for the other vaccine. There. She yanked the red vile out of hiding.

Sakura made her way back into her office. She held up the two vaccines. "Which one first? Red or blue?"

Shikamaru rubbed his pineapple head and turned around. "Whatever you're feeling, Sakura."

"Now, I've got to warn you, Shikamaru," she said, making sure there were no bubbles in the red vaccine. "Try not to sit down much today."

Shikamaru sighed as he yanked his pants down. "Just get it over with."

Sakura swiped over his butt with a clean wipe. She had seen all kinds of body parts with her experience as a medical nin, so her friend's ass wasn't much of a sight to see for her. Although…

"Shikamaru," Sakura said seriously, "I didn't know you had a mole there."

"Sakura," he muttered, "Just do it already—"

Pushing the needle in and injecting the fluid into his ass, Sakura held it there for a moment. Almost all of the liquid had gone in when she heard a familiar voice outside of her office.

"Sakura-chan!"

Oh no.

"What's this shit about Sasuke-teme asking you to have his kids?!"

Oh, no, no, no, no—

The door burst open and the "Do Not Disturb" sign was blown to smithereens. Sakura shifted her ice-cold eyes to meet with wide blue ones bulging out of the Hokage's face.

"S-Sakura-chan," Naruto stammered, "W-What the hell—?"

"**_SHANNARO!_**"

Shikamaru sighed. Maybe he should've let Ino do it in the first place…

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto had two loves of his life. The first, of course, was Hyuuga Hinata. She was the right to his wrong and the blossoms in his breeze. She was the one he could count on no matter what. Through thick and thin, she had been there for him. She noticed him when no one else cared. She was the light to his darkness and the companionship to his loneliness.

Now that they were married, nothing had changed. Nothing, that is except for lack of the second love in his life. Because Hinata wanted to cook for him at home all the time, he rarely got the chance to sneak out with his love affair.

So when Sakura insisted that they go to Ramen Ichiraku for her lunch break, he cried tears of joy. He couldn't help but dive for his love at first sight. And dive he did—right into the steaming hot bowl of ramen.

"Sheesh, Naruto," Sakura said disgustedly as he slurped back his seventh bowl of noodles, "Would you cool it for five hot seconds so I can heal you?"

Letting out a satisfied sigh as he set the bowl down and smacked the table. "One more, old man! One more for the Hokage of Konoha!"

Sakura sank into her seat embarrassedly. She had hoped being Hokage would humble the kyuubi holder in some form or fashion. It was wishful thinking on her part. Clearly. As she peeked out from under her rock of shame, she couldn't help but smile at the Hokage. It had been a long and hard journey for him, but he finally made it. He had proved to everyone that he was more than just a rejected orphan boy. He showed the world that he was worthy of being named Hokage.

Naruto stopped slamming the counter top once Teuchi waved his hand over his shoulder and started preparing another bowl as requested.

"Let me heal you," Sakura growled, using her massive strength to straighten out his shoulders to face her.

"You wouldn't have to heal me if you didn't hit me," Naruto teased Sakura.

"I wouldn't have hit you if you had paid attention to my sign, damn it," she cursed, grinning at him. "Now hold still." She placed a glowing green hand over his black eye. "Sheesh, poor Shikamaru. He's probably scarred for life."

"_I'm _scarred for life," Naruto whined. "I didn't want to walk in on you playing 'doctor' with Shikamaru! You had him bent over your desk like some kinky page out of Kaka-sensei's book!" He frowned. "You know Shikamaru has a girlfriend, right?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Duh. I was just giving him shots for the mission that _you're _sending him on." She paused. "So what's the mission, Hokage?"

"Some loser missing nins are meddling in a nearby village," Naruto said, "They think they're hot shit, but I know Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji can take 'em out no problem."

Sakura nodded. She felt inwardly relieved that it wasn't such a horrible mission. After facing Pain and dealing with that entire trauma, she was ready for everyone in the village to stop trying to kill themselves for the sake of others.

She frowned at the Hokage.

That included the blonde idiot sitting next to her. As much as she loved him, and she did definitely love him, she couldn't keep sitting by and watching him risk his life time and time again while she healed his stubborn ass over and over again.

She lowered her hand. "Better?"

Naruto could finally blink. "Much." He let his smile leave his lips for a moment. Sakura knew what was coming. "So what the hell is this I hear about Sasuke asking you to rebuild the Uchiha clan with him?"

Sakura grit her teeth. Damn, people in this village sure could talk.

"It's nothing," she said quietly, looking into the hot bowl of soup in front of her.

"It's _not _nothing," Naruto said. She took a huge gulp of ramen. "Sakura-chan, I know it's something when even the _council _members send me a note asking me about it."

Sakura spat up her ramen and choked out the bit of pork caught in her throat. "E-Excuse me?" She pounded her chest as Naruto patted her back lightly. "The council members are talking about it?"

Naruto rubbed her left shoulder gently. "Look, I'm gonna have a meeting with the counselors tomorrow and I'll tell them what's what concerning this issue."

Sakura looked at him in confusion. "Why are you having a meeting with the counsel members? It's not that serious, is it? I just rejected him, is all."

"Ah, uh," Naruto replied quickly, his eyes shifting away, "N-No. It's fine, Sakura-chan"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "What aren't you telling me?"

Naruto knew he couldn't keep anything from Sakura. He was like her younger brother. Her sometimes-irritating brother that was terrible at lying. So with that knowledge, he took a deep breath and prepared for the worst.

"They want you to be the mother of the reborn clan."

Sakura suddenly regretted sending her brown bag of alcohol to Tsunade's home via Ino that morning. She had a feeling she was going to need it now more than ever.

She shook her pink head and let it fall into her open palms. "I rejected him. I turned him down."

"And that's what I'll tell them," Naruto assured her. "It's not a big deal. I promise."

Sakura looked at him warily. If the council had heard of Sasuke's idea and _agreed_, then it really _was _a big deal. She bit her lower lip. What if the council made her rebuild the Uchiha clan on their orders? What if it was given to her as a mission? Sakura turned green. What if she was forced into a loveless marriage?

"S-Sakura-chan," she vaguely heard Naruto say, "A-Are you okay?"

Sakura felt dizzy. She needed to sit down. She clutched the counter. No. She was already sitting down. She needed air. She needed to get out of there. Ripping herself away from her stool, she ran.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled.

He threw money down on the counter and chased after the kunoichi. But she was fast and too far ahead for him to reach.

Sakura turned a corner, heading back to the hospital. It was her place. It was the one place she could feel in control of what was happening all around her. She flew on rooftops and in trees, her feet padding to the thumping of her heart.

The refreshing blast of air hitting her face forced air into her lungs. She gasped. Leaping off a well-known shopping center, she landed in the middle of a crowd of people. She dodged and swept past them. She saw familiar faces here and there, but she knew she had to keep running.

"Sakura-chan!"

She bumped straight into Uchiha Sasuke's chest. He had seen her coming a mile away and purposely stood in her way. She'd never know, of course. But in that moment, he didn't care if she found out. She was shaking like a leaf.

He steadied her as she fell back. He held onto her, his large hands preventing her from collapsing.

Village folk walked past the pair, eyeing the two of them and whispering. Sasuke knew the town gossip spread like wild fire. They all knew he had been rejected by the fiery pink haired kunoichi. He didn't care.

He frowned at her glassy eyes and pale face. She was out of breath, frightened of something. He tilted her chin up but she tried to pull away.

She felt a lurch in her stomach.

"Sakura," he said. His eyes flicked over her. "What's going—?"

And then for the second time in two days, Sakura dumped the contents of her lunch all over Sasuke. His eyebrow twitched. Yes, he decided, this was going to be _much _harder than he thought.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was pissed. And it wasn't because he was shirtless in a river with his childhood friend cracking up behind him. It wasn't because he was washing his shirt free of vomit. And it certainly wasn't because a certain pink haired kunoichi ran off the moment she stopped puking her guts up on him.

All of that was just irritating. Slightly annoying. Mildly inconvenient, if you will.

No. Uchiha Sasuke was pissed because that _damn _Haruno Sakura had rejected him. She had the_audacity _to reject _him. _Sasuke slapped the black shirt against the water. Did she even realize whom she was rejecting? Was she too drunk to realize that she was rejecting _Uchiha Sasuke?_

He flexed his muscles as he bent over to properly scrub the shirt. He grimaced. This was just plain humiliating.

"T-Teme!" Naruto laughed, holding his stomach, "S-Sakura-chan can't s-stand the sight of you!" He gasped for air, "She can't even be around you without _vomiting _on you!"

The Hokage's laughter echoed through the forest by the village. Sasuke's temple twitched and he closed his eyes.

"How many times is that, Sasuke-teme?" Naruto choked out. "Twice? Let's start placing bets!"

"Baka," Sasuke hissed, "Urusai."

Sasuke tightened his grip on his shirt as he wrung it dry. He started to wish it was the Hokage's neck instead.

"A-And then she fucking _ran _off!" Naruto cackled, falling on his back and rolling onto each side as he kicked his legs in the air. "D-Damn, teme! The hell did you _do _to her last night?"

Sasuke hadn't done anything to Sakura the previous night. In fact, their entire outing had been mainly her rambling on about her hospital work. And somewhere in between her talking about incisions and dissection, he told her he needed her help with something.

His brow furrowed. She agreed blindly to help him when she didn't know what it was. He was so sure she would have said yes after he told her he needed her to help him rebuild the Uchiha clan.

He didn't expect her to get _drunk _and tell him _no._ He had worked hard on that offer. He picked the location. He wore his traditional Uchiha robes—the very _same _robes his father wore when he proposed to Sasuke's mother. What did she want from him? A village wide declaration?

Sasuke knew Sakura had changed over the years. He knew she changed drastically over the time he was gone. He just hadn't realized until now how _much _she had changed. What happened to the sniveling coward of a girl who used to chase after him with all her might? What happened to the girl who'd cut him apples in the hospital long after visiting hours were over? She was gone. She was long gone.

In her place was something greater. Something that—dare he think it?—_excited _Sasuke. In her place was a _challenge._ _His _challenge. His greatest challenge yet. She was something greater than Uchiha Itachi or Uzumaki Naruto. Something bigger than he himself could even grasp.

Sasuke had always had two goals in life. The first of which was to kill his brother. Well, that had been done. And even as pissed off as he was after that whole ordeal, he still had one more life goal to accomplish.

And damn it, he was _going _to get it done. He was _going _to get Haruno Sakura. He didn't care what it took. He waited years to take down Uchiha Itachi, he could wait years to take Haruno Sakura too.

If there was one quality trait Sasuke could vouch for about himself, it was his patience. He _had _to be patient to have a best friend like Uzumaki Naruto. Really though. He glanced back at Naruto picking his nose. It took a village.

And after watching Sakura for so long, he knew she was worth the wait. Only she was worthy enough to stand side by side with him. Only she was worthy enough to stand hand in hand with him. No one else would do. _No one._

But Sasuke wasn't romantic. He didn't _do _love. He didn't _do _romance. He had been so bent on revenge throughout the years that he still had issues recognizing when someone was being kind to him just because they wanted to. So how was he supposed to know the difference between flirting for fun and seduction for killing?

He stared at Naruto. He envied the idiot. Somehow, someway, Naruto managed to snag the Hyuuga heir. If an idiot could do that, then he sure as hell could get the top medic nin throughout all five great shinobi countries.

"Dobe," Sasuke suddenly said, walking through the water and slinging his soaked shirt over his shoulder. "I need you to tell me something."

Naruto wiped away a tear from his cheek. "Hai, hai. Nani?"

Sasuke turned his head away sharply. He couldn't _believe _he was asking Naruto this. Was he really stooping so low?

He glanced at Naruto in the corner of his eye. Yes. If there was anyone who knew Sakura better than Sasuke, it was Naruto. Or that Yamanaka woman. But Sasuke wouldn't dare go near Sai's girl. He had a hard enough time stomaching that asshole as it was.

"Uzumaki Hinata," Sasuke stated.

Naruto cocked his head to one side. Sasuke was asking about Hinata?

"Mm, yeah?" he asked, scratching the back of his head, "What 'bout her?"

Sasuke tightened his jaw. "I want to know…"

He stepped onto the bank of the river. His bare feet sank in the mud. He almost wished he could sink fully into that mud. Almost.

But Uchiha men never backed down from a challenge.

"I want to know how you got her," Sasuke said in a low voice.

Naruto stared at Sasuke with wide eyes. Was the great Uchiha, captain of the police force, asking Uzumaki Naruto for girl advice?

He had half a mind to make fun of his comrade for it, but he stopped himself at the last second. Seeing the look on Sasuke's face made him sure that the young Uchiha was, in fact, very serious about this request.

Naruto slowly stood and walked up to Sasuke. He clasped his friend on the shoulder.

"Mm," he hummed softly, "I'll tell you, oni-san."

Sasuke turned his head back to face Naruto. He searched his eyes for any hint of mockery. He found none.

A familiar warmth of family love spread through his chest. He knew he could rely on that Hokage for anything. He thought for a moment. No. Not Hokage…

A small smile appeared on Sasuke's face.

"Arigato, ototo."

Yes. That was it.

_Thank you, brother._

* * *

"And then you _threw up _on him?" Tsunade asked Sakura. The old woman took a swig of sake and slammed it down on the table.

Shizune nodded sympathetically while Ino laughed. Sakura, however, was fuming. Of all people, she thought Tsunade would understand her predicament. The first time she vomited on Sasuke was because she was drunk. She had no control over her bodily fluids. And the second time was sheer disgust at the thought of a loveless marriage.

"He wants me to rebuild the Uchiha clan," Sakura complained. She folded her arms stubbornly. "Mou, I thought our relationship was strictly former teammates and occasional healer to his wounds inflicted by Naruto." She rolled her eyes. "That's it! That's all!" She sank in her seat and jiggled the water in her cup. "I always _hoped _he'd come around and ask me on a date. Instead he asks me to bear his children!"

Ino was pounding the table with her fist at this point, choking on her drink. Sakura shot a glare her way. So much for being best friends.

"Men suck," Shizune agreed, "They really do."

Sakura exhaled a sigh of relief. Finally, _someone _was on her side.

"But when Uchiha Sasuke asks you to have sex with him," Shizune said, fanning herself, "You _do it_."

Or not.

Sakura suddenly had Tsunade's finger on the tip of her nose. She shifted her gaze to look at her drunken shishou. The rosy-cheeked woman narrowed her eyes. "Go to him," Tsunade said, "And _fuck_his brains out."

Sakura leaned back against her seat. She should have known better than to go out that night. She already had enough of a long day what with the whole Shikamaru episode and throwing up on Sasuke. Plus, finding out that council members were meeting with Naruto to discuss the rebuilding of the Uchiha clan made her even more tired than she already was.

Still though, she wanted some semblance of normalcy. And in that moment, despite the laughter at her sake, she felt normal. She was in the comfort of her friends. What more could a girl ask for?

"Sakura," Tsunade said, "I've told you about Dan, ne?"

Sakura frowned and Shizune shot a look at Tsunade. "Hai."

"He was the love of my life," Tsunade hummed, retracting her hand from Sakura's face. "I would have done anything for him." She took another sip of alcohol. "And he would have done anything for me."

Sakura bowed her head. Kato Dan was a great man. He loved his village and he loved his people. Tsunade's love life was a tragic story. Often times, Sakura wished she could move on to love another.

But Sakura knew how difficult that was. She tried and tried with Sasuke. It was impossible. She knew now that she couldn't control her emotions. They were something no one could ever hope to sway. But, just because she couldn't control her emotions didn't mean she couldn't control her actions.

She made an active choice every day to put herself out there. She chose to show Sasuke how much she loved him through her hard work and dedication. Every wound of his she healed, she did so with her heart full of adoration. Every punch she pounded, she used the memory of feeling utterly useless in her first experience of the Chuunin exams to drive it. Everything she did, she did it for him.

But she could never toss aside her feelings. Never.

"Love isn't the warm fuzzy feeling you get when they hold your hand," Tsunade said, "Or the pain you feel when they leave you." She looked at Sakura with a softer edge to her eyes. "Love is when they make you a better person. They build you and mold you into the person you are. Whether it's through their actions, their words, or just their mere presence—that is love."

Sakura leaned forward. Despite being drunk, Tsunade was actually making sense. Sakura had long since forgotten her childhood crush and delved deep into love. Sasuke had opened up to her throughout the years and she saw the man inside of him. No matter what had come to pass, no matter how many mistakes he made, Sakura knew him.

"And when you love someone," Tsunade said, "Sex happens." She looked very serious. "So you've gotta be ready. You need to use every single last trick I've ever taught you. You will have the most passionate, rough sex with this Uchiha."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. So much for the wisdom of her elder.

"Hold in your orgasm as _long _as possible," she continued, nodding her head, "You endurance training should help with this. No matter how hard the Uchiha is going, you need to go _that _much harder."

Ino was laughing again. "Hai, hai, Tsunade-sama!" She tilted her head. "But what if he goes for hours? Days, even?"

Sakura turned a deep shade of red, picked up the menu, and sank into her seat. As much as she loved to talk about Tsunade's gigantic breasts with Ino, and as much as she was fine with hearing about Ino's sex life, this conversation was _not _okay.

"You keep holding it," Tsunade insisted, tapping her index finger on the table, "Because the moment you orgasm is the moment he wins." She leaned into the table and motioned for the others to follow her lead. Even Sakura peeked her head out from behind her menu. "I'm sure the Uchiha is well rehearsed in sex. That clan was well known for its excellent lovers. This is why you _need _to be prepared, Sakura."

Sakura frowned. "But I'm not going to have sex with him."

"Not right now, at least," Ino piped up.

"Ladies, ladies," Tsunade barked angrily, "Have I taught you nothing?"

Sakura and Ino exchanged looks. It was true that they held Tsunade's advice above all others. It was a mutual understanding between the two of them. Whatever Tsunade said, they did.

So they leaned in closer.

"Sex is the most powerful tool when at war," Tsunade whispered, "And you might not want to admit it, Sakura, but you are definitely at war right now. Sasuke wants sex from you, but you will _not _give it to him." She cocked her eyebrows up. "And _you _want love from him, but he will _not _give it to you." Tsunade smirked and closed her eyes. "Between the two of these, which is most powerful?"

"Love?" Shizune offered up weakly.

"Wrong!" Tsunade yelled, smacking her subordinate on the back of her head. "Sex!" She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Sex will _always _win out over love." She grinned. "So you use sex to get what you want."

Sakura blinked. "Use sex…to get love?"

"Yosh!" Tsunade said, "_Now _you're getting it. We already know he finds you attractive otherwise he wouldn't be asking you to rebuild his clan with him."

Ino looked to Sakura. While it was true the pink haired kunoichi was well known for her temper and her beauty, it was doubtful that she could use her beauty to seduce Sasuke. Ino tilted her head. But perhaps she was underestimating her friend. Why, with a little bit of practice…

"It's brilliant," Sakura said with a smirk, pushing her fist into her palm with determination. "I'll do it."

...Maybe, just maybe the queen of fist could do anything.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"Sakura-chan," Hinata said in surprise as she stood in the doorway of the Hyuuga main household. "What a pleasant surprise." She eyed the rain pouring down on the pink haired kunoichi. "W-Would you like to come inside?"

Sakura had a small smile on her face. She clutched the neatly folded dark blue cloak in her hands tightly. Even soaked, Hinata couldn't help but acknowledge how beautiful Sakura was.

"Arigatou, Hinata-chan," Sakura said quietly as Naruto's bride stepped aside to let her enter.

She slid off her sandals and gave Hinata her rain cloak. Hinata shuffled her feet as she placed the cover in the closet by the entranceway. She looked back at Sakura who politely stood, waiting for Hinata to lead her further inside.

Hinata motioned for her to follow her. "What brings you to the Hyuuga compound today?" She covered her mouth. How rude of her! "O-Oh, I didn't mean you couldn't drop by unexpectedly I just—"

"Hinata-chan," Sakura said kindly, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder, "It's all right." She entered the living room and sat when Hinata encouraged her to sit. "I'm so sorry for dropping by suddenly."

"Oh no, no!" Hinata said happily, patting her on the knee. "It's always so nice when you stop by for a visit. I know Naruto-kun will be overjoyed when he finds out you stopped by." She frowned. "Such a shame he isn't here now." She gasped and stood up quickly. "C-Could I get you tea?"

Sakura smiled. "I'd like that." She watched as the white-eyed woman made her way into the kitchen. "Would you like some help, Hinata-chan?"

She heard the clanging of pots and pans and a crash of pottery. She winced. Hinata had always been a kind-hearted person. And with that, her adorable clumsiness was also something Naruto found endearing. She was an excellent fit for him.

"No, no," Hinata called from the other room, "Please just sit and wait patiently, Sakura-chan. I'll be out in a moment."

As Hinata ran water, Sakura glanced down at the blue cloak in her lap. She shifted her fingers under the folds and tugged at it until she saw the well-known Uchiha fan staring her in the face.

Sakura needed to give the cloak back to Sasuke before he came to her for it. After talking things over with Tsunade the previous night, she knew she had to make a move. And this was her move.

Step one: get Naruto to deliver the cloak for her as a sign of avoidance.

If Sasuke was committed, this was the test. If, after the rejection, vomiting, and avoidance, he still came for her, then Sakura knew she could seduce him into loving her. It would just take time. She grinned.

If there was one quality trait Sakura could vouch for about herself, it was her patience. She had to be patient to have a best friend like Uzumaki Naruto. Really though. She shuddered. It took a village.

She shifted her gaze to Hinata as she came back in the room. The dark haired beauty gracefully sat next to her and assured her that it would be a little while for the teapot to heat up.

"Sakura-chan," Hinata said with a smile, "What can I do for you?"

Sakura grinned. "I just came to drop something off for Naruto." She winked at Hinata. "I happen to know you bring him his lunch every day."

She blushed profusely and nodded. "I like to see him during the day, but it gets so hard with him being Hokage."

"If you wouldn't mind giving this to him when you bring him his lunch," Sakura said, sliding the cloak into Hinata's lap, "I would really appreciate it."

Hinata's eyes widened when she looked down. Her fingers touched the Uchiha symbol and lingered over the red embroidery. She looked back up to Sakura.

"I heard the rumors," she murmured, "And Naruto-kun confided in me." She bit her lower lip. "He's worried about the two of you."

Sakura nodded. Of course Naruto would be worried. His two best friends were going through something so weird that he probably didn't know how to be there for the both of them.

"Have you given much thought to Sasuke-kun's offer?" Hinata asked in a low voice.

"Hai," Sakura snorted, "It's all I can think about."

Hinata sympathetically reached for Sakura's hand. She held it tightly.

"You seem so weary," she whispered, "So stressed."

Sakura was taken aback. Just like Naruto, Hinata had her moments of depth. Even without those inherited eyes of hers, she could see what could not be seen. Sakura smiled.

"I'm just worried," Sakura said.

Hinata's brow furrowed. There was a knowing silence between them. They both knew that Naruto would be busy most of the morning with the council. If the council insisted on Sakura complying with Sasuke's wishes, then she would have no choice but to do so. It was her duty as a ninja to follow orders…no matter how messed up they may be.

Hinata held back her inward anger at the idea of complying with someone's wishes just because they had a valuable trait to pass on. But she knew Naruto would handle things. He was as stubborn as she in his ninja way. He would do the right thing by both Sasuke and Sakura.

Most people wouldn't notice the slight sink in Sakura's shoulders, but Hinata certainly did. She shifted in her seat and sat closer.

"Naruto won't let anything bad happen to you," Hinata spoke, her voice unwavering.

Sakura gave her a bitter smile. "I know."

She clenched her jaw in determination. Her plan would work. Regardless of what the council could or couldn't force her to do, she would make that stoic bastard fall in love with her, damn it.

"Ne," Hinata said, her eyes sparkling, "Tenten and I are going to the bath house tonight after dinner. Would you like to join us?"

Sakura grinned. "That sounds lovely. I have to work at the hospital until seven anyway—"

The screeching high pitch of the teapot met their ears and interrupted their conversation. Hinata, startled, jumped up and skittered off into the kitchen. Sakura let out a laugh at her soft yelps of, "Oh no! The tea! I forgot about it…oh, I hope it's not too hot…"

Sakura eyed the photos of Hinata and Naruto on the coffee table next to Sasuke's folded cloak. A picture of their first date. The day he became Hokage. His proposal with fireworks going off in the background…Sakura sighed. As much of an idiot Naruto was, he could be really romantic when he wanted to be.

"H-Here it is," Hinata said nervously as she brought in a tray with two steaming cups of tea, "B-Be careful though, it's hot."

Sakura laughed and motioned to the pictures she had been looking at. "I never thought Naruto would be so lucky as to have someone like you in his life." Hinata blushed. She set the tray down. "Really. I know it's only been a few months of marriage, but…" Sakura looked Hinata dead in the eye. "I know you're going to take care of him for life." She chuckled. "And maybe beyond."

Hinata turned the color of Sakura's shirt. "Y-You think too highly of me…"

"No," Sakura said. "I never thanked you for taking care of him. For loving him…"

Sakura stood up and bowed deeply. "Domo arigatou, Hinata-chan."

Hinata frantically waved her hands in front of her face. "If anything, I should be thanking you, Sakura-chan." She patted the cushion beside her. "Please, sit." She smiled. "We are both women Naruto loves deeply, after all."

Sakura relieved herself from her bow and sat down next to Hinata. "I mean it, Hinata-chan." She took both of Hinata's hands in her own. "Arigatou."

Something inside of Sakura clicked. She glanced at Hinata. "Ne…would you mind lending me a piece of parchment?"

* * *

_Thunk._

Naruto watched as Sasuke threw another kunai for target practice. The ground was still wet from that morning's rain, but the afternoon sun burned high above their heads. Naruto was exhausted and just wanted to nap while Sasuke was entertaining himself. Yes. It was a great day to just relax on their old training grounds and throw weapons at a target. A _moving _target.

"Damn it Naruto!" Konohamaru shouted as he ran as fast as he could between the trees. "This is _not _fucking training!"

"Little kids should watch their language," Sasuke snarled, thrusting another kunai right in between the guy's legs.

"I'm only three years younger, bastard!"

Sasuke tilted his head back to look at Naruto. "Can I add flames now?"

Naruto nodded distractedly. He was still shell shocked from his meeting with the council. It had been long and arduous. Two things Naruto really wasn't good with. He had expected the meeting to be over after he explained that Sakura had rejected Sasuke's proposal and that there was no need to worry because Sasuke would handle things himself. Their response was better than he had imagined, but it still put him in a difficult position.

Sasuke inhaled and blew on three shuriken. Konohamaru, who was hiding behind a bush, looked horrified as Sasuke threw them sharply his way. While he had asked Naruto to train him, he was surprised Sasuke had offered his services as well. Konohamaru soon found out that Sasuke's offer wasn't exactly selfless—he was, to put it lightly, a _stress _reliever for the Uchiha. This meant that when Sasuke had a bad day, Konohamaru's ass was normally on fire by the end of his training session.

"Watch it, dick-wad!" Konohamaru yelled, dodging into a tree. "Sheesh, you still pissed off 'cause Haruno rejected your ass?"

That was the last straw.

Sasuke let out a growl. Konohamaru froze on the spot. An ice-cold chill swept up his spine and his instantly regretted his words. In one leap, Sasuke was kicking the shit out of Konohamaru.

Naruto, however, was still sitting in the shade, preoccupied with his thoughts. The council insisted that whomever Sasuke chose, they supported him. The Uchiha clan was a valuable asset to the village. That trait was important to grow in Konoha under proper guidance and care. They gave Naruto the choice of whether or not he was to give Sakura the order or they were.

He had pleaded. He had begged. He had threatened. They would not budge. They weren't as convinced that Sasuke had the proper social skills to get the pink haired kunoichi on his own. And Naruto had to agree. Sasuke either looked constipated or like he had a sword shoved up his ass half the time. Who'd want to date someone like that?

He blew hot air out. On top of all that, Sasuke might as well have worn a huge sign around Konoha that said, "Watch out ladies, he's a traitor." That of course diminished his popularity in the village. They were finally starting to warm up to him again after Naruto instated Sasuke as head of the police force.

But that wasn't enough for Sasuke to have a future with someone else. The only people who could get near him were those he was "close" with before he left Konoha.

That left only one choice for the Uchiha: Haruno Sakura.

Naruto had to agree with the council. She was a great choice for the start of a new clan. She had morals and she stuck by them. She was smart, kind and her chakra control was beyond what anyone could have dreamed. But above all of that, Sasuke _trusted _her.

Naruto frowned. Sasuke needed to rebuild the clan. It was a valuable asset in Konoha's protection and future generations would benefit from it. But still…

He watched as Sasuke set Konohamaru's ass on fire.

Could he really force one of his best friends into something against her will?

"Oi, teme," Naruto finally called, pulling away from the tree he had been leaning against and motioning for Sasuke to come to him.

Sasuke, seemingly satisfied with his stress relief, walked away from Konohamaru's burnt, twitching body. He jogged to Naruto and tilted his head.

"What's up, dobe?"

Naruto pressed his index fingers together nervously. "Our talk the other day…"

Sasuke tensed. It was bad enough he had asked Naruto for advice concerning Sakura, and now he wanted to bring it up? Naruto had spent hours explaining the importance of flowers, ramen and fireworks to women. The only useful thing Sasuke got from him in that speech was that he needed to show Sakura how he felt.

That was easy enough. He always was more of an actions speak louder than words kind of guy.

"You're serious about Sakura, yeah?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke glared at him. That was probably the most idiotic thing the dobe had ever asked in his life.

"I-I mean," he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, "You really like her, yeah?"

Sasuke's glare deepened. With all of these stupid questions, he felt the urge to kick Konohamaru's ass all over again.

"I want her to help me rebuild my clan," Sasuke bit out, "What do _you _think?"

Naruto sweat dropped. "S-So you wouldn't consider anyone else?"

Fuck it. Sasuke turned on his heel and started walking back to Konohamaru's bleeding body.

"A-Ah," Naruto called out to him, "Hold up." He grabbed his satchel and yanked it to his side. He ripped out a folded cloak. "H-Hinata-chan told me to give this to you."

A single thrust landed Sasuke with his arms full of his dark blue cloak. He frowned. Was Sakura trying to avoid him? He had hoped she would have given it to him in person. He pulled back a fold to look at the Uchiha crest—but there was a note on it.

_Arigatou._

Sasuke smirked. He folded the cloak back up and glanced over at Konohamaru. Luck was on that kid's side today. Sasuke's day suddenly seemed brighter. Much brighter.

Naruto's day, however, suddenly seemed darker. Much darker. How was he supposed to get Sasuke and Sakura together? The two of them were too stubborn for their own good and Naruto was no good at match making.

Match making.

_Match_.

Naruto shook his head. There was no way he could do that. Not in a million years. No, he had to think of something else to get the two of them together.

He crossed his legs while Sasuke sat down beside him. He shot a look at the Uchiha. Was that…was that a grin on his face? Naruto did a double take. That was definitely a grin.

Naruto pondered. If Sasuke was truly serious about Sakura, then maybe all Naruto had to do was ignite the flame. Maybe he could do right by his best friends and the Konoha council in one fell swoop. It was worth a shot.

* * *

"Hinata-chan!" Sakura exclaimed, "It's so unfair! You have such big breasts!"

Said Uzumaki lowered herself further into the hot bath. "S-Stop looking, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura laughed and splashed water at Hinata. She swam in between her and Tenten before swinging her arms around the pair. She leaned her head back. This was definitely what she needed: a long day of work and a nice bath with her gorgeous friends. Nothing could get better than that.

Tenten giggled and pushed herself away from Sakura. She held tightly onto her towel and smirked at Hinata. Their friendship had gotten closer after Neji's death. The death of the Hyūga had impacted her in ways she never could admit out loud. Even as the years passed on, she still visited his grave on a weekly basis with flowers in hand.

She had silently vowed to protect and look after Hinata for the rest of her days. That was Neji's honor. It was his pride. Therefore, it was Tenten's honor. It was her pride. But above all of that, Hinata was Tenten's friend.

They had wept together over his grave for hours the day of his funeral. After all, shinobi weren't just weapons. Their feelings are what make them strong.

And strong they most certainly were. Tenten was Konoha's top weapons mistress and made custom weapons for each ninja that approached her with an order. Hinata was head of the Hyūga household and the Hokage's bride. Tenten would kill for Neji to see the two of them. Just once. He'd be so proud.

"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan," Tenten whispered with a wink. "What's Sasuke-san like in bed?"

Sakura let out a laugh and shook her head. "I don't know Tenten! What's _Lee _like in bed?"

Tenten turned ripe red and turned her head away quickly. "U-Urusai!"

She dunked her head under water to prevent Sakura from asking any more questions, but the pink haired kunoichi yanked her out of the water without any trouble.

"If you tell us how Lee-kun is in bed, then _I'll _tell you how Sasuke is," Sakura bargained.

Hinata opened her mouth to say something, but Sakura slapped her palm over her mouth. Of course Sakura was just bluffing. She had no idea if Sasuke was good in bed or not, but if it would get Tenten to open up about her sex life…

Tenten narrowed her eyes at Sakura and folded her arms. "He starts off with how if he can't get me to orgasm five times in two hours, then he'll make me orgasm ten in four."

Sakura's jaw dropped.

"I had no idea he was such a competent lover," a female voice said behind them.

All three looked up to find Ino standing full naked with her hands on her hips. "Sorry I'm late, ladies. Sai just wouldn't stop making love to me…"

"Oh?" Tenten laughed, "And how good of a lover is he?"

Ino took her time getting in the water. She pinned her hair back as she sank into the hot water and flashed a sparkling smile.

"Excellent, of course," Ino said proudly. "Has been for the past three years." Her chin tilted up at Tenten. "He makes me orgasm five times in one hour."

Tenten's eyes flickered in irritation. "Oh, really now?"

Sakura grimaced. She knew where this conversation was headed. Ino always loved to compare her sex life to others. She couldn't remember how many times that blonde kunoichi had bragged to her about how thick Sai's dick was.

"What about you, Hinata?" Ino challenged.

Hinata blushed. "W-Well, w-when I make breakfast, Naruto-kun insists that he has me as his main dish." She turned a deeper shade of red as Tenten paled. "A-And every time I go to drop off his lunch during work, we make love on the desk." Ino paled. "And sometimes he requests for dessert before dinner, so…"

Sakura clung to the edge of the bath for support. Was everyone she knew more experienced than she was?

"How about you, Sakura-chan?" Tenten pressed with a smirk. "How's your sex life?"

Sakura sweat dropped. "Non-existent."

Tenten gaped at her. "I thought you at least had sex with someone."

Sakura frowned. "I haven't really had time for it. In between running the hospital and making house calls, there's not really much time for sex."

"I kind of figured you'd have the most sex out of all of us," Tenten blanched. "You've got that whole kinky doctor thing going on."

"Ch, that's nothing compared to your S and M weaponry vault," Ino shot back. "You must've had field days in there.

Tenten grinned. "You bet."

"Besides," Ino said, grabbing Sakura and flicking her forehead, "Sakura's been too busy pining after Sasuke all these years to have sex."

Hinata smiled. "I think it's sweet. I waited for Naruto."

Ino frowned. "Yeah, but at least that blockhead finally reciprocated your feelings." She flopped on her back and let her body float in the warm water. "Sasuke just wants her as a friggin' breeder to pop baby Uchihas out."

Sakura's temple throbbed in annoyance. While it was true, he only saw her as a means to an end, Sakura didn't need to be reminded of it. She sighed and leaned back against the wall, her towel wrapped around her body tightly.

"Haruno Sakura," a male voice echoed in the bathhouse. "You—"

"Hentai!" Ino screamed, reaching far over Hinata's shoulder, grabbing a small bucket and throwing it quickly at the intruder.

"K-Kuso!" the male cursed, "What the hell—"

"Get _out!_" Sakura yelled, leaping out of the pool and kicking the pervert in the gut.

The unknown man flew straight through the wall. Triumphant, Sakura smirked. Right up until the intruder crashed into the men's bathhouse. The large hole allowed the men on the other side to see the four kunoichi. Hinata fainted. Tenten screamed. Ino gaped. But Sakura went into action.

"Get _out!_" she roared at the men as she slammed her fist into the ground. "_All _of you!"

She quickly ran into the men's bathhouse and gripped the first man she could grab by the scruff. Swinging him around her shoulder she tossed him toward the exit. The other men clearly got the hint. They started scrambling out of the bath as quickly as they could. Some of the men she recognized from working at the hospital, others were probably just visitors passing through Konoha.

At that point, she was seething. Vehemently turning around, she waltzed back to the three girls and stood in front of them. She clenched her fists and walked forward through the fog to find that damn intruder.

"What the _hell _is _wrong _with you?" she hissed, stomping her way toward him. The ground beneath her cracked with each step she took. "Coming into the fucking _women's _bathhouse and—"

She stopped mid-sentence. She tilted her head.

"Chōji?" she asked, peering down at the dizzy ninja. "Is that you?"

The sore guy brushed off some of the rubble and rubbed the back of his head. "Y-Yeah. Sorry to intrude, but…"

Sakura tilted her head. "What's going on?"

"N-Naruto sent me," he groaned, "Your apartment's on fire."

Sakura paused. She took a deep breath and screamed.

This week could _not _get any worse.

* * *

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

"N-Ne, Sakura-chan. It's not all that bad."

Drop.

"Dobe, urusai."

Drip.

"Who you calling, 'dobe', _teme?_"

Drop.

"Someone just burned down her _apartment _and you're telling her, '_it's not all that bad?_'"

Drip.

"Well _someone _has to look on the bright side."

Drop.

"She has no home, no clothes, and you're saying that there's a _bright side?_ Baka."

Drip.

"S-She c-can borrow some of my clothes, S-Sasuke-kun. I-It wouldn't b-be a problem."

Drop.

"See? One problem fixed. Arigatou, Hinata-chan."

Drip.

"Fine. Second problem: where is she going to _sleep?_"

Drop.

"I-I'm s-sure w-we could house her—"

Drip.

"But what about my breakfast, Hinata-chan?!"

Drop.

"I'll take her in. Best friends have to look after one another."

Drip.

"Hai. We'd be happy to have ugly."

Drop.

"Shut it, Sai."

Drip.

"Ino, that's a nice offer but you have _really _loud sex."

Drop.

"Well she has to sleep somewhere. I'd let her live in my place, but all of my guest rooms are filled with weapons."

Drip.

"Would you all just stop your troublesome bickering and look at her for one damn second?"

Drop.

"M-Mou, Shikamaru…"

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Drop.

"S-Sakura-chan?"

The pink haired kunoichi sneezed. She was still freezing even after Sasuke had draped his cloak over her soaking wet shoulders. With her hair still dripping and only a wet towel for clothing, Sakura felt pretty naked in the Hokage's office.

Sasuke leaned against the wall, watching her shivering shoulders. He was growing more and more irritated with each passing moment. The longer she sat there, the more likely it was that she was going to catch a cold. Couldn't Naruto see she needed to change and get dry immediately? He glared at the crowd gathered. How many ninja were they trying to fit in the Hokage's office, exactly?

She glanced at Naruto who had been sitting behind his desk for the past half hour trying to come up with some way to salvage the situation as every single last one of their friends offered their opinion on the matter. While she appreciated the help, at that point it was just overwhelming. She needed some peace. Some quiet.

"Leave," Sakura managed to say. "Everyone. Just Naruto and Sasuke stay, please."

Even surrounded by her friends, she felt utterly alone. As they quietly shuffled out, Ino stared in concern over her rival. Laying a kiss on her cheek, she squeezed the poor girl's shoulder in support and left. The door closed with a click.

Silence.

Sakura let out a deep breath she didn't even know she had been holding in. When she had arrived at the scene, her apartment already had been burnt to the ground. Her neighbor's places, however, remained untouched. Not a scorch mark on them. It was clearly a shinobi's target.

She frowned. But who could have targeted her? In her own village, no less? Something just didn't add up. Did someone have a grudge against her? Maybe someone from a foreign village had broken in and set it on fire.

As much as she would have liked to blame it on her carelessness for leaving the oven on, Sakura wasn't careless. She couldn't be as a renowned medic nin. One mistake in the medical world meant sudden death. So no. Haruno Sakura wasn't careless.

"Sasuke," Sakura said, clutching his cloak closer to her chest.

Said ninja stepped forward. "Hn."

"I want the police to find out who did this," Sakura hissed through her chattering teeth, "So I can _kill_them."

Naruto gulped loudly. "S-Sakura-chan, I'm sure whoever did this is just—"

"An asshole that will face my wrath when I find them," she growled. "And I _will._"

Sasuke saw the look of fear flash across Naruto's face. He narrowed his eyes.

"First thing's first," Naruto said, switching the subject quickly, "Where are you going to sleep tonight?"

She had no home. She had no clothes. Sasuke was right. Where exactly was the bright side of this situation? In her point of view, it sucked. She rubbed her temple. What would she do? Where could she go?

Granted, she joked about practically living at the hospital, but now that was an actual prospect. Could she really stand to stay in that hospital for as long as necessary? While she loved her work, she couldn't imagine sleeping there every day for the next year or so.

She could shack up in a hotel, but that would cost a lot of money—money Sakura needed to buy a new wardrobe. Money Sakura had to save in order to buy a new apartment. Money Sakura didn't have.

That left the option of staying with her friends. But who would take her in? Correction: who could she stand to live with? Tenten and Lee were out of the question. As much as she loved the two of them, his constant yelling of the beauty of youth and her working with weapons at all hours of the day wasn't conducive to studying or sleeping. Ino and Sai were a great option if you left out their extremely loud sex life and his terrible personality. Hinata and Naruto would be happy to have her—but she couldn't stomach their affections day in and day out. Shikamaru was a good option, but Temari moved in a week and they needed time to figure out what that meant for their relationship.

Sakura sighed. Here it came. The only place she knew would have an extra bedroom, no late night sex to wake her up, and someone who was quiet enough not to annoy the crap out of her…

"Sasuke," she started, "Would you be willing…" She glanced up at him with her green eyes. "To have me?"

There. On the battlefield, Sasuke would have labeled this as the kill strike. One swift move and the target was his. This was an opening to get Sakura and he'd be damned if he didn't take this chance.

* * *

Well. This was awkward. Sakura stood in the Uchiha main compound entranceway as Sasuke flipped off his shoes. He stepped inside and started to walk away. Sakura tilted her head. Did he expect her to follow him?

He rounded a corner. She guessed that meant yes.

Keeping his cloak wrapped tightly around her trembling body, Sakura hurried after him. She followed him down the long dark hallway, passing by room after room. Bare feet padding against the wood floors, Sakura watched Sasuke's back as he led her further into his house.

"A-Ano," she spoke as he stopped in front of a double door room.

He opened it up and stepped inside. He hesitated for a split second.

"In that drawer," Sasuke said, pointing toward the drawer to the left of the king sized bed. "There are women's clothes."

Sakura's frow burrowed. She knew that already. But Sasuke didn't know that. While he had been away, she was the one who visited the Uchiha household once a week to rewash the clothing there. She scrubbed the floors, and wiped the plates clean. She mended the garden and swept the porch.

She hadn't been to the Uchiha complex in years. Not since he returned. Not since he decided to live there again.

Sakura swallowed. She knew what room this was. She snuck a glance up at Sasuke to read his emotions. There was a mask there of stoic ice. He noticed her stare and turned to leave.

"This'll be your room," he said coolly. "I sleep down the hall. Second door to the left."

"S-Sasuke," Sakura called to him as he walked out of the room. "Arigatou."

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as he disappeared from her sight. She sighed and let her towel drop to the floor in a heap beside Sasuke's cloak. She walked over to the dresser and pulled out the one outfit she had been dying to wear since she first visited the Uchiha residence.

She drew out one of Uchiha Mikoto's nightgowns. She held it up in the moonlight and slid the silky blue material over her body. Sakura looked over her shoulder and down at the Uchiha fan on her back. She smiled softly.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up her towel off of the floor and headed for the bathroom to the left of the main bedroom. She hung the towel up to let it dry over night.

Her feet padded as she walked back down the long hall Sasuke had led her through. As she went by each room, she began to remember exactly where things were in that household. Yes. Haruno Sakura was very familiar there.

She came to a halt. She walked through the hollow entranceway of the near empty room at the end of the hallway. She flicked on a light. She inhaled sharply as her eyes set on the bustuden she had prayed to every day Sasuke was away. Her eyes softened and she dimmed the lights once more. After all, she had to pay her respects.

Lighting a match to the candles and incense within the altar, Sakura knelt before it. Her eyes lingered on the first picture frame. This man had short, black hair that reached to his shoulders and warm onyx-colored eyes. The visible creases below his eyes emphasized his stern look. He wore a simple kimono with grey pants and was smiling at the camera. This was Uchiha Fugaku, Sasuke's father.

"Fugaku-san," Sakura whispered softly, "Forgive me for not coming all this time. Ohisashi buri, da ne?" She chuckled. "Sasuke seems to be doing well. A little too serious at times though. You'll be happy to know he's captain of the police force, just like you were." She burned incense and gently waved it over the butsuden. "I'm going to be staying her for a while. I do hope that's alright."

She laid down the burning incense and clasped her hands together twice before bowing deeply until her nose touched the ground. She remained that way until she was satisfied she had properly paid her respects to Sasuke's father.

Next to Fugaku, was his son, Itachi. Those same onyx eyes, and jet-black hair was pulled back with red elastic in a low ponytail and extended to his shoulder blades. His bangs framed his face and went to his chin. He had a softer look than his father and a sad smile on his face.

"Itachi-san," Sakura murmured. "We've always had shaky talks, haven't we?" She smiled. "I put you on this butsuden when you weren't dead…but at that time you were dead to Sasuke." Her smile faded. "Forgive me for despising you back then. Gomen." She burned the incense once more and waved it again. "We have something in common, you and I." She placed the burning wick down. "We both have Sasuke's best interests at hand. So if you would please let the time I spend here to be helpful to him in any way, I would appreciate it."

She clasped her hands together again and bowed deeply to the ground. She held it longer than when she bowed to Fugaku. She owed him her life. The village owed him their lives. But above all of that, he had protected Sasuke. And that, to her, was far more important than her own life.

Raising her head she turned to face Mikoto. She smiled brightly. Above Fugaku and Itachi, her favorite person to talk to was Mikoto. That sweet, understanding smile and that beautiful hair Sasuke inherited were so welcoming.

"Mikoto-san," Sakura hummed happily, "I'm staying here for a while. Ah," she glanced down at her clothing, "I hope you don't mind I borrowed some of your clothing. My home was burnt to the ground, you see, and I don't have anything to wear." She tugged at the material. "I know it's inappropriate to wear the Uchiha clan symbol when I'm not part of the family, but if you wouldn't mind letting it slide, I'd really appreciate it."

Sakura paused. If anyone could understand her predicament, it was Mikoto. She was, after all, the clan leader's wife when she was alive. So Sakura continued.

"Sasuke asked me to rebuild the Uchiha clan with him," she said slowly, "But I'm not so sure I can do that." The floor beneath her creaked as she shifted to bow. "Forgive me."

She stayed bowed until the candles gave way and plunged her into darkness.

* * *

Sasuke looked at Sakura in the corner of his eye. The material of his mother's nightgown was hiked up on her thighs, but still she clenched it in her fingers for comfort. He took the pot of tea off of the stove and began pouring two cups.

It was three in the morning when Sasuke awoke from Sakura's scream. His sharingan blared through the darkness as he ran down the hallway. Sasuke threw open the double doors to the main bedroom and thrust himself at the foot of the bed. Sakura had been sitting up, the red sheets tightly gripped in her trembling fingers. Wide-eyed, tears streamed down her face. He had watched her shaking body.

His first assumption was that there was an intruder. As her lips quivered, he decided it wasn't that. Sakura could handle an intruder just fine. Could it have been vermin? He dismissed the thought as soon as it came. In contrast to Naruto, Sasuke was extremely well kempt. While that blonde haired idiot was fine living with flies, Sasuke was definitely not.

He laid out a cup of hot tea in front of the shivering woman and sat beside her at the kitchen table. Her eyes were now tired but alert. Her shoulders were still and tense. He took a sip of his green tea and paused when the liquid hit his lips. It wasn't like Sakura to be so quiet. Normally she'd jabber away at him or hum happily in silence while sitting there. Whatever it was that had her scream for him in the dead of night was clearly distressing her.

Was there a past battle that had left her traumatized? Perhaps she had a nightmare.

Sasuke tensed. He knew all too well the effects nightmares could have. After Itachi had slaughtered his entire family, Sasuke couldn't sleep properly for years. He kept reliving their bloodshed over and over again. No wonder he had been so revenge driven all his life. It wasn't until he got back to Konoha that the nightmares finally ceased and he could find some peace within himself.

"Sakura," he found himself saying. "What's wrong?"

She bit her lower lip and wrapped her hands around the blue cup in front of her. She watched as the steam rose from the water like smoke from a fire. She did not answer him.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. When he asked a question, he expected an answer.

Sakura finally pried her eyes away from the mug and looked up at him. She smiled.

"Nan demo nai," she said cheerfully.

Sasuke remained quiet. He knew that smile. It sickened him to the core. It was sweet and syrupy coated with falsehood and dishonesty. Seeping out of that smile was deceit, something Sakura should have never touched with her pure fingers. He felt disgusted.

"Don't lie," he said in a low voice.

The mask she wore slipped off and the smile cracked. The weight she bore was heavy and Sasuke was ready to take that load away from her, if she would only let him in. He thought they were closer than that. For all the years they had been comrades…_friends…_he thought…

Sasuke swallowed the warm tea and let it trickle down his throat. He clearly thought wrong. There was something dark inside of Sakura that she was now hiding from him. And he didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit.

Sakura slid her chair back and shakily stood. The fake smile was back on her face. Her eyes shaded with pretend happiness. She picked up her cup and made her way slowly to the sink. She poured the contents into the drain and waited for the gurgling to cease.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, standing from his chair as she began to scrub the cup. "Don't."

_Crack._

The cup snapped in her hands. She looked shocked for a moment. Sasuke approached her from behind. Something was off. Something wasn't right.

"It's broken," she whispered as blood trailed down her palms.

Sasuke's heart turned cold. He suddenly knew she wasn't talking about the pottery.

He reached over her for a white towel, but Sakura's hands glowed green. He paused mid-reach to watch the medic nin. The cut on her wrist faded.

"Sit down," he said in her ear.

She shook her head slowly and grabbed the white towel he had reached for. She wiped away the excess blood. Once her hands were clean, she set the towel down on the counter and turned to face him.

"I'm fine, Sasuke," she murmured, her eyes shifting to the right. "All I need is a good night's sleep."

Sakura took a step away and let her feet lead her toward the hallway.

"You have nightmares," Sasuke stated. It was a fact, not a question.

Sakura stopped at the doorway. Her fingers pressed against the wooden frame. She did not look over her shoulders.

"Hai," she whispered.

Sasuke looked at her petite frame. Though her shoulders were strong and her back bore the proud Uchiha symbol, her knees were quavering. She was frightened. Scared of something Sasuke did not know.

Whatever this monster was that kept her awake at night, he was determined to destroy it. No matter if it was a fellow shinobi or a damn memory, he would shatter it. Sasuke had protected Sakura and she did the same for him. This was Sakura, damn it, and he was ready to slaughter whatever it was that was haunting her.

"What of?" he asked, stepping forward.

He narrowed his eyes. Turn around. He wanted her to look at him. He wanted her to tell him her deepest, darkest thoughts and memories. He could handle it. For her, he could handle anything.

Finally, Sakura turned her head to look back at him. Tear stained cheeks were pale and ghost-like. Her jade eyes were filled with emotion he had not seen in quite some time from her eyes. Anger. Hurt. Pain. But above all: determination.

"You."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"Whoa!" Naruto yelped, ducking from Sasuke's flaming fist. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"_Nothing_," Sasuke hissed, side kicking the Hokage.

Naruto blocked it before jumping a good ten feet back. He stared at his seething best friend. When Sasuke had appeared in Naruto's bedroom at five in the morning, Naruto knew something was up. After making sure Hinata was properly covered by their sheets and screaming at Sasuke for almost seeing her naked, Sasuke dragged the half-asleep Hokage out to go train.

That had been four hours ago.

Drenched in sweat, and nearly depleted of all of their chakra, the two destroyed everything in their path. Their old training grounds had been devastated by the wind and fire techniques they had been using all morning. Bruises and blood scattered their bodies and both were out of breath. But still, even after Naruto tried to call five different time outs for potty breaks and to grab something to eat, Sasuke went at him hard.

"Come on, Sasuke," Naruto said, dodging another punch and throwing kunai his way. "What's going on?" He frowned. "Is it Sakura?"

Sasuke slammed his knee into Naruto's stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs before jamming his elbow into the dobe's back. Naruto coughed. Touchy.

"So it _is _Sakura," Naruto chuckled, trying to catch his breath as he flipped out of Sasuke's hold. "What'd you do this time?" He ducked. "Ask her to sleep with you?"

Sasuke dodged Naruto's swipe and flipped him on his back. He glared down at the Hokage and stretched out a hand to help him up.

"No?" Naruto asked, taking Sasuke's hand innocently enough and then flipping him on _his _back next to him. "Walk in on her getting dressed?"

Sasuke winced. His body couldn't take much more of going head to head with Naruto, but the anger he felt in his chest still wasn't gone. No matter how many times he bashed his best friend, the irritation wouldn't ebb away. Normally a good work out could cure his anger. It always worked with every other problem he encountered. But this was a different issue. One that couldn't be hashed out by harsh words and fiery fists.

He glanced at the panting Hokage. "Naruto."

His best friend tilted his head and breathed, "Ah?"

Sasuke slowly sat up and gripped his hands together. "Sakura…did she have anything…traumatic happen to her in the past?"

Naruto frowned and adjusted his forehead protector. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

Sasuke looked away. He focused his gaze on a broken dandelion near his feet. The stem had been snapped off most likely when they had been sparring that morning. Poor thing didn't stand a chance of survival.

"Did I…" He clenched his fist. "Did I hurt her?"

Naruto's gaze softened. He understood what Sasuke was trying to say. He scooted back to sit beside him and took a deep breath.

"It's all in the past, Sasuke," Naruto assured him. "You're back home. That's all that matters."

But not to Sakura. No, to Sakura whatever pain he had caused her was still in her present. All those times she had begged him to come back with her. Those promises she was determined to keep. The attempted assassinations to protect the village…

Sasuke growled. He was pissed. He was pissed at Itachi. He was pissed at Orochimaru. He was pissed at Obito. He was pissed at Dōzo. He was pissed at Sai. He was pissed at Kakashi. He was pissed at Naruto. He was pissed at Sakura. But most of all…

Sasuke slammed his clenched fist into the ground.

He was pissed at himself.

"Ne, Sasuke," Naruto said softly. "What happened?"

"She has nightmares," Sasuke admitted, glancing up at the blue sky, "Of me."

Naruto's brow furrowed. He always knew Sakura hadn't fully recovered from losing Sasuke. A part of her changed forever the night he left her abandoned on that bench. Whatever happened between them when they were kids still left Sakura with pain.

Naruto sighed. "Man, Sasuke-teme." The Uchiha looked at Naruto. "You _really_ fucked things up."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You've been a _great_ help, dobe."

"But," he said truthfully, leaning back and resting his hands behind his head, "The good news about fucking things up is that you always have time to fix 'em."

Sasuke relaxed. Maybe the idiot was right.

"If I were you, I'd talk to her." Naruto saw the look of defiance in Sasuke's eyes. "Come on. I'll help." An idea crossed his mind. "Let's do a role play."

Sasuke's temple twitched. A_ what?_

Before Sasuke could get the words out of his mouth, Naruto had transformed into the pink haired Kunoichi in a puff of smoke. He winked at Sasuke in Sakura's form.

Sasuke's jaw dropped. "The _fuck—_?"

"Oh, why, _hello _Sasuke-kun!" Naruto squealed, holding his hands to his blushing cheeks and pushing his breasts in with his elbows. "You're the asshole that broke my heart!" He leaned in close to Sasuke and gently touched his chest. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "Now what're you gonna do to fix it?"

"I always knew you two were gay for each other," a familiar voice said, "I'll leave you to it then…"

Naruto and Sasuke snapped their heads to look up at Sai. He waved politely at them from a nearby tree.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the head and smashed it into the ground as hard as he could. "_Baka!_"

Poofing back into a male, Naruto rubbed his nose angrily and glared at Sasuke. "Teme!"

"Dobe."

Sai smiled. "Is this some kind of foreplay?"

"Shut it!" Naruto barked. "We were having a moment!"

Sai's smile deepened. "Clearly."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Idiots. He was surrounded by idiots.

"What do you want, Sai?" Sasuke bit out.

"Ah," Sai said, waving the scroll in his hand, "Just wanted to give my report to the Hokage." He looked between the two of them and noticed the closeness in their proximity. "But I can leave, if you would like to…ah…continue—"

"Just give the damn report to him," Sasuke hissed, yanking his shirt off of him and swinging it over his shoulder. "I need a shower anyway."

"Might I recommend a cold one?" Sai asked cheerfully.

He wound up with a face full of Sasuke's fist.

* * *

"And that _damn _Sasuke is just acting all cool like he didn't try to kill me a whole bunch of times," Sakura snarled as she pumped chakra into the patient's chest. "Stupid nightmares…"

Ino tried to ignore the concerned stares of the nurses in the room with them. She wanted to reassure them that despite Sakura's outbursts, she had everything completely under control. But…

"I mean, who does he think he is?" Sakura growled as she snapped the broken bone back in place. "He leaves me on a _damn _bench in the middle of the _fucking _night." She made sure the blood was being suctioned properly as she delved further into the chest. "And for what? One of his life goals?" She waved an artery in front of Ino and let the blonde grab it from her. "Let me tell you about his life goals." She tugged at the skin some more. "They are _bullshit_."

Ino sweat dropped. "A-Ano, S-Sakura…"

"Who decides when they're thirteen that they're gonna kill their brother and go have sex with someone to rebuild a clan?" Sakura sneered. "Apparently the _great _Uchiha." She pulled away the chest muscle to get a better look at the slow beating heart. "Clamp." Ino gave it to her quickly. "Domo." She was back on track. "He owes me. He owes me for all of the heartbreak I went through. He owes Naruto for all of that time and energy wasted trying to bring his dumb ass home."

The heart monitor panned and Ino tensed. "Sakura."

"But you know it's my fault," she continued, wrapping her fingers around the still heart. "I loved him back then." She pumped chakra into it. "And I still love him now." The heart monitor was still stalling. "But that doesn't excuse his behavior. That doesn't mean that I'm going to sit idly by and let my feelings get the best of me."

"We're losing him!" nurse Hinori panicked behind Sakura.

"Oh, we've already lost him," Sakura hummed, performing CPR on the patient. "But he came back home eventually." She pressed hard. "Now all that's left is to seduce him into loving me." Sakura pushed more chakra into the patient's chest. "That can't be hard, ne?" She glanced up at a wide-eyed Ino. "I mean, he must have feelings somewhere in that cold heart of his." She tilted her head. "He is letting me stay with him after all."

"Sakura, _focus!_" Ino said harshly.

The head medic nin tore her hands away from the patient and placed them on her hips. "I don't like your tone, Ino-pig."

"He's gonna _die!_" Hinori complained.

Sakura rolled her eyes and started counting backwards from three. "San…ni…ichi—"

The patient's heart started beating again and everyone except Sakura let out a deep breath. She glared at each of them in particular. How dare they doubt her medical skills?

"I'll be in my office if you need me," she said over her shoulder as she walked over to the sink to wash her hands free of the blood. "Ino, close him shut and get him a room of his own. Poor guy will be sore for a little."

She took off her jacket, hung it on the hanger and waltzed out of the operation room well aware of the shocked looks she was getting. She huffed as she walked through the door.

She turned and bumped straight into a bloodied Naruto.

She blinked up at him and tilted her head. "Have you been fighting Sasuke again?"

Naruto laughed nervously and scratched his bruised cheek. "H-Hai. I was just going to your office when they told me you were in an operation, so..."

Sakura sighed and shook her head. She couldn't catch a break. She grabbed him by the ear and dragged him down the long hallway.

"I-Itai!" Naruto whined. "S-Sakura-chan, there's no need to be so harsh…"

"Yes there is," Sakura scolded him. "You and Sasuke need to stop beating each other into a pulp or else I'm going to stop healing the two of you."

Naruto grimaced. "It's your fault!"

Sakura paused. She stopped walking and released his ear. Naruto quickly rubbed it and glared down at her.

"My fault?" Sakura asked.

Naruto paled. Oops.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean _my _fault?"

Naruto started walking again. "L-Let's go to your office, S-Sakura-chan—"

Small fingers gripped his shoulder and slammed him into the hospital floor. He got a nice look at Sakura's feet.

"Now, Naruto," Sakura said sweetly, picking him up with one hand and dragging him down the hallway. "I want you to tell me exactly what you mean."

"Sasuke-teme's just in a pissy mood today," he said nonchalantly. "No reason."

Sakura's narrowed eyes were now slits. "A pissy mood?" She let out a laugh. "What does _he _have to be pissy about? _He's _not getting pressured by the council…"

She let out a gasp. With her apartment being burned down, she had completely forgotten.

"Naruto," she said quickly, "How'd the meeting go yesterday?"

If it was possible, the blonde hokage paled even further. She let the both of them into her office and closed the repaired door behind her. She locked it for good measure. Naruto gulped.

"N-Ne, S-Sakura-chan," he said slowly as she sat him down in her chair.

"Hn?" she hummed. She placed her glowing green hands over his chest.

With her powerful hands that could crush mountains touching him, Naruto did the only thing he could in that moment: _lie._

"It was great!" he said enthusiastically.

Sakura smiled.

"They understood why I rejected him?" she asked lightly, hovering her hands over the bruise on his cheek.

"D-Definitely," Naruto said, averting his eyes. He couldn't believe he was getting away with lying to Sakura. "They even said they'd probably do the same in your shoes."

Sakura nodded. "So they aren't worried about the discontinuation of the Uchiha clan."

Naruto started sweating bullets. "O-Of course not, Sakura-chan!" His mouth twitched. She held her left hand over his temple. "They're positive he'll find someone else to help him out."

Sakura moved to his legs. "Even with his status as a traitor?"

"Hai, hai!" Naruto laughed nervously. "You know Sasuke-teme. He has women all over him."

Sakura lowered her hands and cracked her neck. "How're you feeling now, Naruto? Better?"

The hokage flexed his hands and grinned at the medic ninja. "Much!" He leaned forward to get up. "Domo, Sakura-chan—"

Her hands on both of the armrests prevented him from standing. Naruto swallowed. He slowly turned his head to look up at her. Jade eyes laced with fire and a sadistic smile on were set on her face. Naruto shifted back in the sit, trying to put as much space between him and the angry kunoichi as possible.

"Perfect," she growled, her fingers snapping the armrests like they were flimsy twigs. "Then why don't you tell me what _really _happened at that meeting?"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke had always been a fighter. He had cultivated his skills to protect and defend the people in his life that were most precious to him. Every strike was tactfully planned out to give the most amount of damage to his enemies. He trained for hours each day to make sure he was in top shape and on the days he rested, he made sure he stretched out his muscles. Yes. Sasuke had always been a fighter. That being said, Sasuke had no idea how to bandage himself properly.

He sat on his bed, holding up the bandages he had managed to find from when his mother was alive. He tilted his head. Was he supposed to put the gauze on and then wrap the bandage around him? Or was he supposed to put the balm on and then the gauze, wait for a while and then break out the bandage?

He frowned. Normally he'd go to the hospital for something like this. He knew Sakura could heal him in a heartbeat.

Sasuke turned the gauze's packaging around so he could read the instructions.

He didn't need her. Ch. He could handle things on his own.

"Apply to wound after disinfecting," he silently read.

Heh. Not hard. Not hard at all. He unwound the cap, took a big slab of the greasy junk and slapped it on his bleeding abs.

There. He started to wravel the bandage around his body. That wasn't so hard—

"Oh, _shit_," Sasuke cursed. "The _hell _is that?"

A rapid burning sensation spread through his abdomen like wild fire. He curled over and winced. Why did it feel like someone was peeling off his skin? He groaned. Was it _supposed _to do that?

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's voice called, "Tadaima!"

Sasuke did the only thing he could in that moment. He made a break for it. Sprinting out of his room and down the hall, he quickly slammed the bathroom door behind him.

"Sasuke?"

He leaned over the sink and ran cold water. Taking a blue hand towel with the Uchiha crest, he dampened it before wiping away the burning gauze. He growled. Wasn't that stuff supposed to be healing?

"Sasuke," Sakura's voice called as her feet padded down the hall. "Is that you?"

Damn it all. Sasuke gaped at his abs that looked worse than before. They were bleeding again. Great.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked. "Are…are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Sakura," he said in a low voice.

Sasuke pressed the cool towel over the bleeding.

"Oh," she replied through the door. "Well, I healed Naruto earlier this afternoon." She leaned against the cream wall. "If you'd like, I could look at your wounds."

Sasuke paused. He could either stay in the bathroom feeling like a total idiot or have the head medic nin of Konoha look at his wounds. He made his decision.

Opening up the door, he stuck his head out. There was Sakura, leaning against the opposite wall, waiting for him.

"Come on," she said, pushing the door further back and grabbing his hand. "I can heal you in your bedroom."

Leading him back down the hall, she walked into his bedroom. She tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Sasuke," she said slowly. "Why are there medical supplies all over the floor?"

The Uchiha sat down on the bed and looked up at her expectantly. "I tried bandaging myself."

Finally able to see his wounds properly, she walked over and touched his red abs. "I can see that." She noticed the opened bottle of gauze to the left of him. "Did you use this?"

She picked it up and shook it in front of his eyes. He glared at her and turned his head.

"Yeah," he said truthfully.

"This is only meant for _minor_ wounds," Sakura explained, closing the lid. "If you use too much of it, it'll burn." She let her fingers touch the sensitive patch of skin on his stomach. "Naruto really did a number on you." Sasuke turned his gaze back to her and noticed her grin. "But you got him worse."

A cooling sensation chilled his abdomen. "Arigatou, Sakura."

Sakura continued her work on his dislocated shoulder. "Have you been home all day?"

Sasuke nodded. He took the day off from the police station. His subordinates wouldn't miss him. They were too busy figuring out who burnt down Sakura's apartment. He smiled inwardly. He already knew who did it. He glanced at Sakura's furrowed brow and wondered what she'd do to the blonde idiot if she ever found out.

His onyx eyes widened as she made her way onto the bed with him. This was new ground for a woman to be on. He tensed as her fingers trailed down his bruised back.

"Nothing's broken," Sakura whispered in his ear. "But would you mind inhaling and exhaling for me, just to make sure?"

He took a deep breath. He felt the warmth of her hands. He exhaled. Her breath sent chills down his spine. Inhale. Her scent filled his nostrils. Sasuke sighed. This was torture. He breathed. Complete torture.

"Good, good," Sakura murmured. "Now, tilt your neck to the side…" He did as she said. Her lips were so close to his skin, he could almost feel them. "Great. Now to the other side." He leaned his head over. "Excellent."

Her hands slipped away and she leaned forward so he could look at her. "I need to get at your legs. Would you like to sit or lay down for this part?"

Sasuke clenched his jaw. "I'll sit."

Sakura immediately got off of his bed and positioned herself in between his knees. Sasuke averted his eyes for a moment but then looked back down. He watched as she steadily plucked the material of his black pants out of his bleeding thighs. He gripped the side of the bed tightly. Once finished, Sakura held her hand over his right leg and let the green glow overtake her palm.

"You want to tell me what's bothering you?" she asked as she worked. "Naruto said you were in a bad mood."

Sasuke didn't answer.

"Did Naruto tick you off for some reason?" Sakura inquired softly.

"No."

Sakura bit her lower lip. Naruto had slipped up and mentioned it was her fault…Maybe…? She eyed Sasuke.

"My nightmares," she started off, "They're not anything serious." She worked his other thigh. "You don't have to worry about it."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I'm not."

Ah. Sakura suppressed a grin. So that's what it was.

"They don't occur as often nowadays," she said casually. "So don't think too highly of yourself."

Sasuke bit back a growl.

Sakura kneaded his muscle and worked with the bruises. While his clothes were all tattered, there was no reason for him to be. She stopped her healing for a moment and rested her elbows on his legs. She looked up at him from his lap.

"Sasuke, were you serious?" she murmured.

Sasuke took a deep breath. "Sakura. Get off." He felt a sudden throb of desire. "_Now._"

Sakura blinked up at him innocently. Her mouth was just inches away from the source of his torment. How could she _not _notice?

"Were you serious?" she asked again. "About wanting me to help you rebuild the Uchiha clan?"

_Yes_. He wanted to hiss. But he held it in.

"Hn," he hummed with a nod.

Sakura drew herself up to his eye level. She looked straight into those onyx orbs of his. She was searching for something.

"Then say it," she said determinedly. "Say it, Sasuke."

_Say what?_

Sakura held his gaze for a moment longer, her arms wrapped around his neck and her hands clasped behind his head. Her gaze lingered, still looking for something. Sasuke was the first to break away.

"Sakura," he said quietly, "Get off."

Sakura let her heart break, but didn't show how crestfallen she was. She sighed and ran her hand through her hair as she backed off. This whole seduction thing was going to be harder than she thought. She eyed the stubborn Uchiha who wouldn't look at her. _Much _harder.

* * *

"What do I _do?_" Sakura groaned, leaning over her plate of uneaten food. "I was in between his _legs_and he just told me to get off!" She sniffled. "It's my forehead, isn't it?"

Tsunade looked sternly at her student. She folded her arms and closed her eyes. Yes, this was quite a predicament her pupil was in. She frowned and glanced at Ino who was comforting the poor woman.

"And Naruto," Sakura whimpered, "His meeting with the council did _not _go well." She held her head in her hands. "They told him either he gave me the order or they did." Ino patted her on the back. "I'm going to have to get _married _to a guy who can't even say _it_!" She looked up at Tsunade and held up a single finger. "One word! That's it! Is that so hard to ask for?" She held her chopsticks tightly. "Aishiteru. That's all I want."

Tsunade's temple throbbed. This was pissing her off. She had been enjoying her nightly drinking when Sakura burst into the restaurant with Ino trailing close behind, crying about something or other. Of course the damn Uchiha was involved. Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course.

"Sakura," she said harshly. "Pull yourself together. How long does Naruto have until you get the order?"

Sakura blinked. "Does that matter?"

"Of _course _it matters," Tsunade growled. "Have I taught you nothing?" She threw back a gulp of sake. "Get all of the facts, Sakura!" She stood up abruptly, knocking her chair back in the process. She pointed at her. "Sit up straight, puff out your chest, keep a positive attitude, and above all remember," she thrust her thumb at herself, "You are _my _student."

Sakura blinked back her tears. Tsunade was right. What was she crying about? She was living in Sasuke's house, she had him right where she wanted him, he was serious about wanting her to rebuild his clan…

Sakura sat up straight and puffed out her chest. "You're right, Tsunade-shishou." She smirked. "I just need to try harder."

"Exactly!" Tsunade nodded as Shizune set her chair back up and bowed apologetically to the other guests. She plopped down in her chair. "Now, first thing's first: we need a battle plan." She looked at Shizune. "Are you taking notes?"

The poor medic nin dropped Tonton from her lap and reached for her satchel. Yanking the sack open, she tore out a piece of parchment and a pen.

"I will go to Naruto," Tsunade said, "And I will buy you as much time as possible—but I know for a fact that this will be an uphill battle. I can guarantee you no more than three months' time."

"Why three months' time?" Shizune asked, pouring more sake into Tsunade's cup.

"Because it's in the first trimester that women start to show," she replied.

Sakura paled. Right. That kind of came with the whole "rebuilding the Uchiha clan" plan that Sasuke had concocted. She grabbed the sake that Shizune had poured for Tsunade and drank it herself.

"She can do it," Ino said confidently. She pet her dear friend on the back. "If anyone can get Sasuke to have a boner, it's Sakura."

Tsunade nodded. "Don't be afraid to walk around the house naked." Sakura's eyes bulged. "_Don't_cook for him." She noticed her student's confused look. "This is a tactic adult women like to call, 'playing hard to get.'" Sakura and Ino exchanged glances. "But I don't want you to play hard to get," she smirked, "I want you to _be _hard to get." She glared at Shizune. "Are you getting all of this?"

"H-Hai!" Shizune exclaimed, scribbling on the table as fast as she could.

"This'll come in handy for you when you get a man," Tsunade said with a wink. She turned back to Sakura. "Heal him. Every chance you can, you rip that shirt off of him and touch that chest of his." She thought for a moment. "He still spars with Naruto, ne?" Sakura nodded. "Good. Then I'll get him to help you out with that too. If he hits his chest and thighs a lot, you should have more openings like today."

Ino grinned. "I know what works with Sai." She pulled aside her hair and tugged down her shirt to reveal just a little bit of the light pink bra she had on. "Leave this in the bathroom. I _guarantee _it will turn him on."

Tsunade's eyes brightened. "_Now _you're getting it."

Sakura blushed. "Should I ask him to help me put something on?"

"Always," Tsunade and Ino said in unison.

"You don't have any of your clothes 'cause they were burned in the fire, yeah?" Ino asked, picking at the frumpy frock Sakura was wearing, "Who's clothes are you wearing?"

"Mikoto-san's," Sakura said slowly. "Sasuke's mother."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "I know for a fact that she has clothes with the Uchiha symbol that are more attractive than that."

Sakura hesitated. "Hai, demo…"

"Ch!" Tsunade clicked, holding up a hand. "Wear them. It's not disrespectful." She leaned on the table with her elbow. "After all, you're going to be the mother of the new Uchiha clan. You have a right to." She winked. "Besides, I think Sasuke would like to see you wear his symbol around Konoha."

Sakura grimaced. She was already wearing the Uchiha symbol at night and she had apologized profusely to Sasuke's family at the butsuden, so disrespect wasn't the issue. If the village sawing her wear the Uchiha clan symbol, wasn't that a declaration that she was with Sasuke? Was Sakura really ready for that?

She'd have to think about that. Once she wore the symbol, it was a declaration to every other man out there that she was Sasuke's and Sasuke was hers. She wasn't quite ready to give that to him yet though. He had to earn it.

She sat back in her seat. She couldn't keep wearing out of style clothing until that time came around. She sighed. Maybe flaunting the Uchiha symbol around _would _nudge him in the right direction. It was worth a shot.

Hell. _Anything _was worth a shot to Sakura at that point.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke had a dilemma. He looked at the burnt piece of orange clothing he held in his hands. He could either go to the hokage with this piece of evidence discovered by his second in command, or he could hold onto it for safekeeping. As much as he wanted Naruto to sweat about it, he had to handle the situation delicately.

On the one hand, if he went to the hokage and accused him of burning down Sakura's house, Naruto would probably throw a hissy fit and deny the whole thing. Then Sasuke would have to deal with a thoroughly pissed off best friend. On the other, if Sasuke kept this piece of evidence to himself and waited, the dobe would probably reveal his intentions soon enough.

After all, there had to have been a good reason for the baka to burn down the house of the head medical ninja, right?

Sasuke sighed and pocketed the orange cloth. He'd wait to hear Naruto's idiotic excuse. It was probably an accident of some sort. That sounded like the dobe. Always causing a ruckus with his idiotic behavior.

Sasuke knew right from the start it was Naruto's doing. His guilty demeanor when talking to Sakura about her options was clearly a dead giveaway the other night. He was lucky Sakura didn't notice otherwise they'd probably be without a leader in Konoha. Also, only someone with damn good fire control could burn only Sakura's apartment down, and other than Sasuke, Naruto was the only one who could control flame _that _well.

Perhaps the idiot had attempted to light a candle and dropped it at her doorstep. Sasuke frowned at his ramen. That was a stupid conclusion and he knew it. No. It had to be something extravagant for Naruto. Maybe he had been showing Konohamaru a new trick while walking by Sakura's place and accidentally set it on fire? Or he let himself into her house to cook something for Hinata?

Sasuke scratched his head. No. Impossible. None of those excuses sounded like Naruto at all. It had to be something more. Something…

Sasuke swirled the udon in his soup. What if it wasn't an accident? What if Naruto burnt down Sakura's apartment for a reason? He slurped down the noodles. But what reason could the dobe possibly have for burning doing Sakura's place?

"You look like you have women troubles," Shikamaru stated as he sat down beside Sasuke.

Interrupted from his thoughts, the Uchiha glared at his friend for a split second. He relaxed his gaze as he noticed his tension releasing. He could use a break from this matter.

"Ah," Sasuke said, sipping at a spoonful of broth.

"Me too," Shikamaru said, scratching his pineapple head. "Temari moves here in a few days, and she's been harping on me to get the room ready for a woman." He shrugged and shook his head. "Whatever the hell _that _means."

Sasuke paused as he placed his spoon back down in the bowl. Should he have made better preparations for Sakura to live at his place? He dismissed the thought. Sakura wasn't the type to keep quiet. If she had something she needed, she would ask him. Or just get it herself. She seemed to be pretty self-sufficient that way.

"Speaking of which," Shikamaru said as he waved for Teuchi to serve him. "How's life with Haruno?" He grinned. "She make you pull down your pants too?"

Sasuke spat out his soup. He coughed and glared at Shikamaru. The hell was he going on about?

"I just feel bad that Naruto walked in on us," he continued as Teuchi set down a bowl in front of him. "It was one hell of an awkward time."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. No kidding.

"Poor guy's probably scarred for life," Shikamaru said. He blew on the steaming noodles. "But it _is_ his fault. I mean Sakura locked the door and everything." Sasuke chomped down hard on a bit of carrot. "She's a hell of a lot gentler than Ino's ever been. Just makes you yank down your pants and she goes for it." Sasuke slurped on some more noodle. "I mean _really_. She was bent over the desk with me and everything—"

Sasuke raised the bowl to his lips. Anything to get out of there faster.

"The way she talks too," Shikamaru continued, sucking on a noodle. "She makes sure you're taken care of." Sasuke's eye twitched. "Doesn't stop 'til it's finished." Sasuke was about ready to slam his bowl down on the table. "Never had shots go so smoothly before."

Sasuke stopped himself.

_Shots?_

"Of course, that's what you'd expect from the head medic nin," Shikamaru slurped. "You mind passing her my thanks? I feel bad that I didn't get to properly thank her, what with her shouting at Naruto the minute she finished giving me the vaccines."

Sasuke's shoulders fell and a weight he didn't even know he had been carrying was lifted off of his heart.

"Hn," he agreed. "I'll let her know."

"Great," Shikamaru said. "I'd hate to leave for my mission without showing her my gratitude." He paused. "I'd drop by the house, but…"

Sasuke glanced at him. He paused. He knew what Shikamaru was getting at. Sasuke wasn't exactly approachable and his house fell under the same jurisdiction. But at that point he was so relieved that it was _shots _Shikamaru was talking about that he let the words slip right out of his mouth.

"You're welcome," Sasuke found himself saying. "Any time."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow up but didn't say anything. If the Uchiha was suddenly being kind, then he'd go with it.

"Domo," Shikamaru hummed into his ramen.

Such a small change in attitude, but Shikamaru took note of it. Sasuke had always been a bit of a happier person to be around when he was near Sakura. Maybe the pink haired kunoichi had more of an influence on him than he thought…

* * *

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura moaned, "Matte…onegai…"

Sasuke glared down at his sleeping houseguest with folded arms. Sakura had gotten back home later than him and she thought she had slipped in quietly. Little did she know the Uchiha had stayed wide-awake waiting for her to come home. And long after she fell asleep, he kept his door cracked open so he could hear if she had any difficulties sleeping.

Sasuke stood rock solid at the foot of her bed, containing his anger. She said the nightmares didn't occur as often. Liar. Two nights in a row of calling his name was often enough. And he'd be damned if he'd let her have one more nightmare about him.

Activating the sharingan, Sasuke walked over to her side. Red eyes open and ready to go, the only matter was waking the woman up. He didn't want to startle her, but he had to get up close to her face.

He could gently touch her hands to wake her up. But then he'd be faced with her quick paced fists and he did _not _want to get the beatings that Naruto got. Maybe he could say her name. But then she'd make sure to avoid his gaze when she woke up. It seemed nothing would work properly without her being distressed.

Sasuke tensed. Yes. There was no other way.

Kneeling beside the sleeping beauty, Sasuke positioned his lips just above hers. He paused. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Sa…su…ke…kun" she mumbled, the tears from her closed eyes dampening her face.

Screw it all.

Gently pressing his mouth against hers, he watched as her green eyes slowly opened to meet his spiraling red ones. Sparkling orbs in the moonlight widened before closing. Her breathing, once ragged and tortured, was now calm. Sasuke pulled away and tried to ignore the heat rushing to his cheeks. It was just a kiss. There was no point of getting excited about it.

Sasuke waited. Now what? She was under his genjutsu, but Sasuke needed to be near enough to her to ensure that it was still working. Despite the petite frame of the kunoichi, Sasuke knew how hard she worked with Tsunade throughout the years. That woman was a tank in disguise.

Sasuke could sleep on the floor. He felt the cold draft swipe over his feet and dismissed the thought. No. He'd have to share a bed with her. He felt the blush creep further up his face. He clenched his jaw. He wished his body would _stop _doing that. It was damn annoying.

He grabbed the red sheets firmly and ripped them off of Sakura. He froze. Her blue silk nightgown was barely covering her thighs. It had slid up to a dangerous region. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her pillow like it was her lifeline. Her soft skin looked so touchable, Sasuke couldn't help but reach out to it.

He stopped himself.

"Get a _grip_," he growled.

Avoiding looking at her, he slipped into bed with her. Uncomfortable and awkward, Sasuke sat straight up while Sakura snuggled the pillow. He frowned. This wasn't right. Something was off.

He scooted down a little bit. There. He was just leaning on the headboard now. He nodded. Better. He closed his eyes.

…

He shot them open. Sasuke's brow furrowed. No, something was still wrong. He slid further down until his back was against the mattress. He glanced over at Sakura. She was still trapped in his pleasant genjutsu. Still cuddling that pillow.

He smirked. Much better. He closed his eyes.

…

Sasuke's eyes opened once more. He sighed. Something still wasn't right. Something was missing.

He felt behind his head. Of course. There was no pillow. Nothing to rest his head on. Sasuke looked over Sakura's sleeping body. There. In the corner opposite of him, was a pillow. Now, if he could just reach it…Sasuke leaned over Sakura and brushed the soft material. He pushed himself further and managed to grip the corner.

But as he did so, he felt Sakura shift. She rolled away from him, releasing her grip on the pillow closest to him. Quirking an eyebrow up, he let go of the far pillow. He drew his arm around Sakura and took her pillow. She wasn't using it.

He placed it behind his head and he closed his eyes again. Yes. That was it. That was what was missing.

He felt Sakura shift again, but chose to ignore it. She'd find the pillow in the far corner eventually—

What. _Was_. That?

Sasuke's eyes shot wide open. He looked down at the pink haired kunoichi clinging to his torso tightly. Her legs were wrapped around his and her head rested on his shoulder. Her gentle fingers laid on his chest, rising and falling with each breath he took. And at that point, he felt like hyperventilating.

She was in his personal space. No one had _ever _touched him like that. He stayed still. Maybe if he didn't move, she'd go away. He could play dead. He could do that.

Sasuke swallowed. He took it back. He couldn't do that. No way. This woman was in his personal space and she wasn't even awake.

So Sasuke did the only thing he knew how to: he shoved her away. Except he forgot who was holding him. Haruno Sakura. And that grip she had on him? Yeah, it was like _iron_._  
_

Sasuke sighed. He might as well get used to it. He did plan on spending the rest of his life with that pink haired woman. He relaxed his body and let her nuzzle into his neck with her face.

And that's when she said it.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered in her sleep, "Aishiteru."

Sasuke opened his eyes in surprise one last time. The warmth that had escaped him for most of his life had finally found home inside of his heart. His arm wrapped around Sakura and he drew her closer.

"Sakura," he murmured as he graced the top of her head with his lips, "Arigatou."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Haruno Sakura knew the moment she opened her eyes that something was different. Not a _wrong _kind of different. It was just _different_.

She felt warmer than usual. But that couldn't be. Sakura plucked at the silky sheets that covered her bare legs. They were the same as they were the day before. No extra blankets. No extra clothing.

She inhaled deeply. She stopped. Well, that was different. Leaning down closer to the pillow in her arms, she breathed it in. The overwhelming scent of fire and crackling wood surrounded her. Sasuke's scent.

Sakura let go of the pillow. It shouldn't have been a surprise. This _was _his mansion, after all. It was bound to smell like him. Still, something was different. Something was _very_ different.

Sakura perked her ears up. There was a sizzling noise accompanied by the delicious smell of onions and tomatoes. No surprise there. Sasuke needed to eat somehow. However, the thing that _was _surprising was the low voice floating through the mansion.

There was no way…

Sakura swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stretched out her legs as she stood. Her feet pitter-pattered against the hard wood floor. Sakura walked down the hallway as quietly as she could, tip-toeing her way past Sasuke's room. She glanced in and was surprised to see his bed had been neatly made. How long had the Uchiha been awake?

Sakura turned a corner and walked by the betsuden. She waved polite and bowed apologetically. She silently promised to pay her daily respects once she found out what was going on with Sasuke.

Slipping past the entranceway, Sakura found herself peeking around the wooden doorway to the kitchen. There, with a white apron over his clothing, was the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, former ANBU member, right hand man to the Hokage, and current head of the Konoha police force _humming_.

Her jaw dropped. She covered her mouth to suppress her laughter. She had no idea the cold bastard could sing! Granted, he wasn't very good. In fact, the word terrible could be used. But the fact that he was actually humming…

She watched him turn over an omelet in the pan he was holding. Sakura blushed. She had never seen Sasuke cook before, and this was quite a sight.

She lowered her hand from her lips. Was it too much for her to hope it was a sign? After all that they had been through, could she honestly hope that he was—dare she think it—happy?

Hearing the floor creak beneath her, Sasuke shot his gaze toward Sakura. She stared at him with bulging eyes. Should she run? Should she just pretend she saw nothing and just walk away…?

But Sasuke did something surprising. He turned his head straight back to his cooking and uttered, "Ohayo."

Sakura couldn't hold back her gaping. She stared. She stared at him long and hard as he picked the omelet he had been making up with his chopsticks and placed it on a plate. She took note of the two plates beside him.

She tilted her head. Was he that hungry?

She noticed he was staring at her. Oh. Right. She was being rude.

"O-Ohayo," she managed to get out weakly.

Sasuke started on the second omelet before taking the first plate and laying it down on the table. He held up his hand, palm down, and motioned for her to come to him.

She blinked. She stiffly walked into the kitchen, rubbing her right arm with her left hand awkwardly. He pulled out a chair and went back to making breakfast.

Sakura analyzed the situation. Sasuke had been humming. Sasuke was cooking. Sasuke had motioned for her to come to him and then pulled out a chair. There were two plates. There was a creaking sound as it finally clicked in her mind.

Sasuke was making breakfast for the _two _of them. Sakura shook her head. No. That couldn't be. The previous day, this guy couldn't be bothered to have her heal him from his wounds let alone sit down with her at a meal. Sakura just figured that's how he wanted things. Separate meals, separate lives. He wouldn't deliberately spend time with her—better yet, he wouldn't deliberately _cook _for her. Was this a dream?

Sakura pinched herself. She yelped.

Sasuke immediately shot his gaze to her and she muttered, "Gomen."

His eyebrow shot upward. She scratched the back of her head awkwardly. He went back to cooking.

It wasn't a dream. She rubbed the bruise as she slowly sat in her seat.

She waited. Nothing but the sound of heated oil met her ears. Sasuke's humming had stopped. Sakura tilted her head back, only slight, so she could see him in the corner of her eye.

Even without the clear sign that he was content, Sasuke seemed lighter. His back didn't seem so heavy all of a sudden. And the way he moved his hands to cook the omelet was _very_ Sasuke, but somehow carefree.

Sakura sighed. Could this be an illusion? Did she somehow fall under someone's genjutsu?

Sasuke turned off the stove and rolled the omelet up. He placed it down on the second plate and walked over to the seat in front of Sakura. She carefully watched as he slid the chair out and sat down in it. He placed the plate down and began eating.

Sakura gripped her knees tightly. Was she supposed to eat with him? Was she allowed? She watched as he chomped down a mouthful of rice.

"Sakura," Sasuke said suddenly.

Sakura sat up straight in her chair. "H-Hai!"

He didn't look at her. "Did you sleep all right?"

Sakura opened her mouth, but then closed it. She thought for a moment. She vaguely remembered having a distressful nightmare. She shook her head. No. Something pleasant interrupted that terror. Something that tasted so sweet.

Sakura turned a nice shade of pink. She couldn't tell Sasuke that.

"Hai," Sakura replied. "Very well." She smiled. "And you?"

Sasuke picked up his glass of water and held it to his lips. Behind the cup, he hid a smirk.

"Hn," he hummed.

"D-Do you have work today?" Sakura asked him, trying to make polite conversation.

"Ah," he sighed. "The night shift."

Sakura bit back a frown. She tried to squelch her disappointment. She'd be all-alone in the Uchiha mansion. She thought for a moment. It would be nice to tidy up the place again though. Maybe re-scrub the floors and rip out the dead plants from out front.

"You'll be…" Sasuke clenched his fists. "All right, tonight?"

Sakura smiled. "Hai." She held up her bicep for him to look at. "I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Sasuke held back a grin. He knew firsthand how strong she was. It wasn't until early that morning that he managed to slip a pillow in his place so Sakura could cling onto that. Not that he was complaining. No, he found that he rather liked her using him as her personal pillow. He just knew if he hadn't slipped out, she'd use that wonderful strength of hers to pummel him into the ground.

"And you?" he asked casually.

Sakura bit her lip. "Hn. I have work today." She smiled cheerfully. "I have to review some of the new nurses today." She chuckled. "They're a bit more mischievous than I'd like, but they'll do."

Swallowing water down, he glanced at Sakura. She still hadn't touched her food. Ch. He clasped his fingers together and stared her straight in the eye.

"Sakura," he said.

"H-Hai?" she asked, feeling so out of place she didn't know what to do with herself.

"Eat."

Sakura robotically nodded. "H-Hai." She gulped nervously and picked up her chopsticks. "I-Itadakimasu!"

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto usually took his time in the bathroom. He liked to make sure everything was running smoothly before he had to get back to work. Sometimes he'd even sneak a scroll or two in with him so he could work in there. There was something truly relaxing about just taking a dump in the morning.

Which is why when Tsunade pounded hard on the bathroom door, yelling at him to get out, he was not happy. His business had been rushed. Skipped, even. Glaring up at her from his desk, he frowned. No. He was not happy at all.

"What's up, 'baa-chan?" Naruto growled. "This had _better _be good."

Tsunade slammed her palm down on the desk and cracked the surface. Her temple throbbed. "It'd be wise, _Hokage,_ to remember who you're speaking to."

Naruto's annoyance disappeared and he was scratching his cheek sheepishly. Sheesh. Both her and Sakura were scary. Something about tempers and strength going hand in hand just didn't seem right to Naruto. His eyes widened at the crumbling corner of his desk where Tsunade's hand was.

"So what's up?" Naruto asked, folding his arms. "What can I do for you?"

"I want you to go to the council and ask for three months," Tsunade replied, holding up three fingers.

"Three months?" Naruto asked, "For what?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Imbecile. "For Sakura. They want her to rebuild the Uchiha clan, and I want her to have three months to get the idiot to fall in love with her."

Naruto winced. They were not going to be happy about that. He had been lucky enough to tell them he was going to give Sakura the order…except he actually hadn't. After Sakura had interrogated him the other day, she was well aware that it was either going to be the council or him giving the order. It just was a matter of when.

"I don't know if I can buy her three months," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Two at best."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "You will get her three."

Naruto leaned back in his chair. "But how?"

"Convince them that in three months' time she'll start showing," Tsunade said. "After that, they can officially give her the order."

"Start showing?" Naruto asked idiotically.

Tsunade smacked her forehead. "Pregnant, Naruto! She'll be pregnant!" She folded her arms. "That's the purpose of pressuring her, isn't it? So my pupil can start popping out red eyed freaks as soon as possible."

Naruto formed 'oh' with his lips. It did make sense. If he approached it that way, maybe the council would listen to him. He stopped himself.

"What's Sakura going to do in those three months?" Naruto asked slowly. "Not that I won't do it for her." He laughed. "I'd do anything for her." He paused. "But why three months?"

Tsunade walked toward the window to look out at the village. She tapped her foot impatiently. Maybe she shouldn't have appointed Naruto as Hokage if he was this stupid. She glanced back at him. An idiot he may be, but at times there was wisdom there beyond his years.

"Sakura doesn't want to enter a loveless marriage," she explained. "She needs to make that Uchiha fall for her." She gave Naruto a pointed look. "And fast."

Naruto nodded slowly. But there was something Tsunade wasn't aware of. He grinned.

"I've already set things in motion," he said sneakily. "No worries Tsunade-baa-chan. I've got this under control." He winked. "Who do you think made sure she stayed at Sasuke-teme's place?"

Tsunade stared at him. "I figured you had something to do with the fire at her apartment, baka." She walked back to his desk and leaned over it menacingly. "But if you _ever _distress my pupil like that again, I _will _have your head."

Naruto sweat dropped. How'd the old woman figure him out so quickly?

"I-I'm not just talking about the fire," Naruto continued, waving her threat aside. "Sasuke's been asking about Sakura recently." He tapped his finger against his armrest. "He's serious about her."

Tsunade smiled. "Then we have nothing to worry about." She thought for a moment. "You two still have your spars now and then, yeah?" The blonde nodded. "Make sure you aim for his chest and thighs." She grinned. "_That'll _help things along." She started walking toward the door but paused. "Oh and Naruto," he looked up at her, "If Sasuke doesn't fall in love with Sakura by the end of three months, I'll make sure he can _never _rebuild the Uchiha clan." She smiled cheerfully. "Are we clear?"

Naruto swallowed. "Crystal."

"Good," Tsunade said. "Now take care of business, Hokage." She grinned. "You have a lot of work to do."

As the door closed, Naruto let his head fall into his hands. He was a leader, damn it, not a matchmaker for an emotionless bastard and an aggressive medical ninja. Granted, he knew if the Uchiha clan were to continue, the future of the village would be even brighter. He had a duty to his village. He had to make the best decisions for them. And even if he didn't like rushing Sakura into something, he could only buy her so much time.

The good news was he was a best friend to both of them. He could work both angles and make sure that things were going smoothly. The down side to that was, while he did have "woman talk" with Sasuke, "guy talk" with Sakura didn't really happen very often. And when it did, he just felt totally clueless.

Mainly, he was just used to riling Sakura up. How was a goofball supposed to play matchmaker?

Still, Naruto knew what he had to do. Snatching two scrolls up from his desk he headed out the door. He would go talk to the council immediately and demand that they give Sakura three months before giving the official order. No matter what, he would get her at least that much time. He marched down the hallway with fire in his eyes. Nothing would stop him.

His stomach growled.

He immediately switched directions. Correction: nothing would stop him as soon as he took his morning dump.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke had been around men for the majority of his life. When he was younger he was always trailing around after Itachi and constantly sought his father's approval. Nothing said "manly" quite like fire jutsus and kunai practice. And after his entire clan had been slaughtered, Sasuke met Team Seven. Even then, with Kakashi and Naruto, he was used to their boxers and walking in on them naked. Guys were easy to understand. Easy to take care of.

Needless to say, Sasuke wasn't very well acquainted with the female body and its necessities. So when he was putting away the laundry Sakura had so kindly done for him before she left for her hospital work, he found something rather…unusual.

In between his white shirts was a dark red bra. It was just there. Lying out in the open. Like it didn't care that it was mixed in with men's clothing.

He had seen his mother's bras when he was a child, but they had never been so…

He picked it up with his forefinger and thumb.

…Lacy.

Sasuke frowned. It must have been a mistake. Holding it tightly, he walked out of his room and down the hallway. His bare feet hit the hard ground with constant thuds. It had to have been a mistake. Sakura must have accidentally folded it in with his clothes in a hurry to get to the hospital. She had seemed to be in a rush that morning. He didn't even get to see her off she was running so fast.

He swung open the door to the master bedroom and stepped inside. He had every intention of laying the bra down on her bed and leaving immediately, but when he saw the top drawer of the dresser slightly open with a small white garment hanging out, he decided he could just put it in there with the rest of her undergarments.

Now, any other man would have taken advantage of the situation. They would have dug through her private drawer, ripped out her clothing and imagined her doing naughty things. But Sasuke had never been a pervert. In fact, for the majority of his adolescent life, he pretended girls were the scum between his toes. And for the most part, they had been. Having women cling all over him had been a real pain. Luckily, since his leaving the village and eternally being branded as a "former traitor", the ladies had backed off.

So when he opened up Sakura's drawer, he expected the usual: bras and underwear. Maybe a slip here and there for kimono purposes. A colorful array of womanly things that he would probably never fully understand the use of.

What he hadn't expected, however, was an interesting little green gadget tucked between a purple bra and a black sports bra. He tilted his head. What _was_ that thing?

Curiosity got the better of him and he wrapped his hands around the smooth jade handle as he dropped the red bra in her drawer. He pulled it out and ran his fingers along the soft silicone. It could have been a weapon she hid in there for safekeeping.

He tried to find the opening. Maybe it was a kunai holder. He felt along the smooth surface for any hitches or lines. He tilted the thing back so he could look at the flat side. Aha. There was an on/off button. It could be something for medicinal purposes. She often carried balms on her at all times in odd-looking pouches. This could have been one of them.

He geared himself ready to jump back if necessary, and hovered his thumb over the switch. He stopped himself. What if it was a bomb? Sasuke smirked. He could handle anything.

He pressed his finger down on the control and was shocked when the thing started _vibrating. _Sasuke's eyes widened. He pressed the on/off button again. It vibrated harder.

"The _hell?_" Sasuke snarled, pressing it a third time.

If possible, he found his fingers shaking even harder than before. Sasuke looked at it incredulously. If he had known it was her _vibrator _he wouldn't have picked up.

He glanced around the room. Maybe if he just put it back in her drawer, it'd run out of battery before Sakura came home. Sasuke frowned. But she was expected back in three hours, and the way that thing was going, it was ready to go for days. If it was on when she got back, she'd know someone was in her room.

So Sasuke did the only thing he could in that moment. He sent a bolt of electricity through the vibrator to short-circuit it. Within moments, it fizzled out. He'd rather her assume the damn thing was broken than have her find out he had touched it. That would earn him a field day of poundings.

Sasuke released a tense breath. He shoved the shaft back inside of the drawer and shook his head. On one hand, Sasuke was glad Sakura knew how to pleasure herself. It meant she was well aware of her body and comfortable in her own skin. On the other, a part of him wished she'd come to him to cure her…ah…ailments.

Sasuke slowly brought his fingers to his lips and let his tongue slide up his index finger. The sweet taste of cherry blossoms met his taste buds. No, Sasuke had never been a pervert. He smirked. That didn't mean, however, that he didn't have dirty thoughts. He needed to take a cold shower. That pink haired kunoichi was going to be the death of him. He just knew it.

* * *

"Hello," Haruno Sakura said politely to the gaping police station receptionist. "I'm here to see Uchiha Sasuke."

The shinobi didn't look at her. He kept his head down in his notes. "Take a number. Take a seat. He'll be with you eventually."

Sakura frowned. "I'm not sure you quite understand." She leaned forward, letting the robe around her shoulders slink down. "I'm here to see Uchiha Sasuke."

The receptionist sighed. He had had a long day and his shift was almost over. The poor man was tired and ready to go home after a twelve-hour shift. He didn't need some person demanding to see Uchiha Sasuke in his face.

He slammed his pen down and opened his mouth to tell this woman once again to take a number and a seat. But the words fell off of his lips the moment he laid eyes on the medic nin. Her red robes plunged down just above her cleavage, giving enough for the eye to be pleased but leaving so much more for the imagination. Her lips, painted red, were slack and plump. The shinobi licked his own lips.

"Ah, uh, H-Haruno Sakura-sama," the man said, standing suddenly from his chair and knocking it down to the ground. "W-Would you like to wait in here or go up to his office—"

Sakura, well aware that all eyes were looking at the symbol on her back, winked at the man. "I'm sure I can find him." She held up a bento. "He forgot his dinner, you see." The man nodded numbly and she looked at the double doors to her left. "That way?" The man nodded again as she broke out into a breathtaking smile. "Arigatou!"

She made her way through the double doors and started on down the hallway. She was aware of the looks she received. There she went, striding through the hall as she headed for Sasuke's office. She saw everything: the pair of shinobi standing outside of an office, discussing something she didn't need to know, the guy waiting outside of an office, and an elderly woman on the opposite side. She sized the guy up as he sat. She let him see that she was looking at him.

She shifted her gaze to the two police officers outside of the office, discussing something. She noticed they had stopped speaking as soon as they laid eyes on her. But they just stood there.

The elderly woman was wrestling the inside of her purse as a female officer came out of a side hallway to assist her. They stopped moving. They all stopped moving.

Sakura set her gaze on the end double doors. There was Sasuke's office. She just had to make it there. She just had to—

"S-Sakura?" Chōji asked, coming up from behind her. "I-Is that you?"

Sakura smiled and turned to him. "Konnichiwa, Chōji."

He chuckled and placed his hands on his hips. "Here to see Sasuke, eh?" He eyed the Uchiha symbol on her back with a grin. "Finally decided to rebuild the Uchiha clan, huh?"

Sakura held back her wince. Yes. The downside of wearing the Uchiha symbol…it was public declaration that she had accepted Sasuke's proposal. Even though, clearly, she hadn't. Still though, maybe wearing it would get the council off of Naruto's back.

"It was Mikoto-san's," Sakura said gently as they walked side by side. "Sasuke was kind enough to let me use her clothing."

Chōji nodded. He looked at the bento in her hands. "Ah, the wifely duty."

Sakura smirked. "Actually, Sasuke made it for himself." She laughed. "He forgot it in the kitchen, so I figured I'd drop it off."

"Want me to take it to him?" Chōji offered. "If you're in a rush, I can just—"

"No," she said a little too quickly. "Ah, uh, no. I'd like to see Sasuke. He's got the night shift, so…"

Chōji smiled. "Ah. Hai." He eyed Sakura as he pushed through Sasuke's office doors. "Uchiha-san." He stood slightly in front of the pink haired medic. "I wanted to give you my report before leaving for the evening."

"Ah," Sasuke hummed, "Just leave it on my desk. I'll get to it after I look through…"

Sasuke stopped speaking. He watched as Sakura slowly came out from behind Chōji. The robes she wore hung on her body like water from a waterfall. Perfect and flowing.

"Hello, Sasuke," she said in a soft voice.

Chōji coughed and hid his grin with his hand. "Sakura wanted to bring you your dinner." He was getting a kick out of seeing the two interact. "I'll, uh, just leave this here," he flopped his paperwork on the Uchiha's desk, "And…I'll leave you to it then."

His eyes flicked between Sakura and Sasuke as he backed out of the room. He made sure the doors were tightly shut behind him. The click of the doors snapped Sasuke out of it.

"Domo, Sakura," Sasuke said.

Sakura tugged on the outfit she was wearing. "I-I hope you don't mind me wearing this." She bit her lower lip. "I was hoping you weren't going to see me in it, so I just kind of avoided you all day. But then I saw that you forgot your dinner in the kitchen and—"

"It's fine," Sasuke bit out.

Sakura's eyes widened. His words were so quick like a lightning strike. She averted her gaze.

"It…suits you," he continued in a softer tone.

She looked at him. He was the one to avert his gaze this time. She slowly lifted her hands to place the bento down on his desk. His hand reached out to grab it from her, but brushed her fingers in the process. They stood still.

"Ah, uh," Sakura said, pulling her hand away. "I-I'll leave then."

"Hn," Sasuke hummed, "Sakura." She turned her back to him, allowing him to see the Uchiha symbol on her back in all of its glory. "Arigatou."

She nodded at him and made her way to the double doors. She placed her hand on the door handles but paused. She glanced back to him.

"Sasuke," she said, her voice unwavering, "I'll be lonely without you tonight."

And with that, she slipped out, not waiting to hear the Uchiha's response. She did, however, see the slight tint of pink on his cheeks he was trying to hide by covering his mouth. Sakura grinned.

Maybe her plan was working after all.

* * *

Sakura tossed.

...

She turned.

...

She wrestled with the sheets.

...

She let out a big groan and threw a pillow over her face. She just _couldn't _get back to sleep. After she had left the police station, Sakura had scrubbed the floors, mended the clothes, cleaned the kitchen and paid her respects to the butsudan. Finally, when she had the house to herself, she figured she'd be able to be herself without feeling out of place.

She figured she'd be able to sleep decently. But nothing ever goes as planned.

Sakura was awake from another one of her nightmares. While she had lied to Sasuke and told him they didn't occur all that often, the truth was that they happened every night. There wasn't a restful evening since the night he left the village to achieve his first life goal. She growled. And look how well _that _turned out.

She wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. Yanking off the sheets from her bed, she found herself walking out of the master bedroom and down the hall. She basked in the streaks of moonlight that covered her body. She walked into Sasuke's room, bumping into the side table as she did so. The scrolls laid upon it tumbled off and Sakura leaned down to pick them up. She tried not to open them in case they were from previous missions or if they were classified information.

Crawling into his bed, she inhaled deeply. Yes. Sasuke's scent. She tore off the decorative pillows and scooted underneath the purple sheets. This was much better. Exhaustion finally settled over her. She made a mental note to be out of his room the moment she woke up. Sakura yawned. She'd have to remake the bed, of course...and...

Slowly, she closed her eyes and drifted off to that familiar memory that haunted her every night she went to sleep.

_Sasuke approached her, his bag on his back and with every intention of leaving Konoha…and her. Sakura's heart clenched as she observed him. That indifferent look on his face was still in place as usual._

_"Why are you prowling around here in the middle of the night?" he asked her casually._

_"I knew you'd come this way," she said, her voice trembling as she forced herself not to break, "If you were to leave…So I just waited here…"_

_"Get out of here," Sasuke said. He gave her a look before adding on, "And go back to sleep."_

_He walked past her, shattering her heart in the process. Each footstep he took was another crack he was making on her heart. Finally, it broke completely. The tears fell from her eyes, but she dared not face him._

_"Why don't you say anything to me?" she asked, turning to look at his back. "Why do you always keep so quiet?" Her gaze turned downward and her voice trailed off as she said her final piece, "You never say a single word to me…"_

_"I told you," Sasuke said impatiently, "I don't need your help. Don't try to look after me…"_

_Don't care for me, you mean, Sakura thought as the tears continued to stream down her face._

_She suddenly smiled. "No matter what, you always hate me, don't you…" He didn't answer, so she continued. "You remember, don't you? When we became genin, the day when our three-man team was first decided…the first time we were here by ourselves."_

_Sasuke remained silent._

_"You were so mad at me," she whispered, the painful memory of Sasuke showing bitterness toward her flashing in her mind as she spoke._

_It was the first time he had called her annoying—the first time he showed her his loneliness through his little amount of spoken words. She smiled bitterly at the memory._

_"I don't remember that," his voice sliced through the stillness of the moonlit night._

_At first his comment clutched at her heart, tugged at it jokingly before tearing it apart once more. She laughed, despite the situation. It was all she could do to keep herself from sobbing and truly acting pathetic in front of him._

_"Yeah," she chuckled. "I guess you're right. That's all in the past now, huh?"_

_"…"_

_"That's when it all began though," she said with her gaze toward the rock pathway out of the village. "You and me…along with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei."_

_Sakura kept a smile on her face, remembering the good times she had with team seven. The missions, the nights under the stars, Kaka-sensei reading his perverted book, Naruto being an idiot…and Sasuke…Sasuke almost looking like he was happy._

_"We did all sorts of missions, just the four of us," she said aloud, "It was painful and difficult at times. Even with that though…" Her teammates flashed before her eyes. "I still enjoyed it."_

_Sasuke's gaze shot up toward the full moon._

_"I know about your past, Sasuke," she said suddenly. "Even if you get revenge though, it won't bring anyone happiness. Not you, Sasuke…"_

_She wanted to be selfish, if only for that moment._

_"Nor me," she added on, quietly._

_"I already know."_

_Her eyes looked up at his back in shock at what he said._

_"I'm different from you all," he explained, not looking at her. "I can't be following the same path as you guys. Up until now, we've done everything as a group. But there is something else…something else I must do."_

_At this point, the tears came uncontrollably from Sakura's green eyes. She couldn't seem to stop crying silently._

_"Deep inside my heart," he said, "I've already decided on revenge. For that reason only, do I live."_

_And then he let harshness control his voice. "I'll never be like you or Naruto."_

_"Do you really want to go back to being alone?" Sakura asked, desperately, her hand over her heart, wishing desperately that she could heal it. "You told me how painful it was to be alone! Right now, I know your pain!" She swallowed and went onward. "I may have friends and family but…" Her tears fell to the pavement. "If you were to leave…"_

_She could no longer look at his back. She had been staring at it for far too long. Always his back, never his face…_

_"To me," she sobbed out. "To me, I would be just as alone as you."_

_Sasuke was quiet once more, his fists clenched in his pockets._

_"From here on out," he said, "We all begin new paths."_

_"I—" Sakura closed her eyes and shouted, "I love you with all of my heart! If you were to stay with me, there would be no regrets! Every day we'd do something fun! We'd be happy, I swear!"_

_Couldn't he see how madly in love she was with him? Why was he not looking at her?_

_"I would do anything for you!" she choked out. "So…please…"_

_She was begging now. Ready to get on her hands and knees if that's what it took for him to stay. "Please, just stay with me…"_

_She prayed silently for a moment, asking Kami-sama for strength._

_"I'll even help you with your revenge," she said. "I don't know what I could do, but I'll do my best to do something. So please…stay with me."_

_Her gaze turned bitter and she bit her tongue before saying, "Or take me with you, if you can't stay here."_

_Sakura bowed her head in submission._

_And then Sasuke said it…those words he first said to her when they became genin._

_"You really are annoying."_

_Her eyes widened in realization. He remembered. He lied. He remembered that day…that day he first called her annoying…! There was still hope._

_"Don't leave!" she yelled, "If you do, I'll scream—!"_

_He was behind her in a heartbeat._

_"…Sakura," he said, calmly. "Arigatou."_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Uchiha Sasuke never liked to admit when he over did it. When he and Naruto trained together during their childhood, they used to butt heads, climb trees, and try to outdo one another until they had nothing left in them. That idiot of a Hokage was still full of energy and Sasuke tried as hard as he could to keep up with the bouncing blonde. So after a night of just sitting at a desk, it pained Sasuke to realize that he was completely exhausted.

He had spent the majority of the night trying to read through the report Chōji had left on his desk and the rest of it wondering why the hell he was trying so hard to get home quickly. So _what _if Sakura said she'd be lonely without him? He really shouldn't have cared so much to the point where he worked as hard as he could to get off two hours early so he could get home by four in the morning.

And so _what _if Sakura had waltzed through Konoha wearing the Uchiha crest on her back? He pushed back a grin creeping on his face. Now that stirred up some emotion in the Uchiha. It was like she was telling the whole world that she was his. He frowned. Of course, her rejection still stood firm. But if Sasuke had learned anything from Naruto over the years, it was that hope was powerful enough to move mountains.

He'd convince her eventually to help him rebuild the Uchiha clan. They were living together, after all. How hard could persuading her be when they shared the same roof? He let the grin spread across his face. Besides, Sakura had just said the night before that she loved him. Granted, it was in her sleep, but that was a start. It was only a matter of time before she said it out loud to him again, and then he'd make his move.

But for now, Sasuke dragged his feet down the hall and entered his bedroom. He flopped down in the bed and sighed. But it wasn't like Sakura was waiting up for him. She wasn't his wife yet. She wasn't waiting for him to come home. Wasn't listening carefully for him so she could wake up from her sleep just to groggily come greet him at the door. Sasuke's heart throbbed. All that rushing for nothing. He probably wouldn't even see her that morning, so why—

Sasuke stopped his train of thought. There was something in his bed. His eyes turned red, glaring at the lump. There was something living and _breathing _in there. The covers rose and fell as the creature inhaled and exhaled. Sasuke gingerly touched the lump and it moved.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. If it was Naruto again, he'd kick that dumbass out. Sometimes the idiot would let himself into the Uchiha residence and just want to "snuggle" up to the Uchiha while Hinata was away on missions. The dobe would sneak inside his bed and try to "cuddle." Apparently it reminded him of the "good old days." Ch. Good old days, Sasuke's ass. Other times he'd pop out of nowhere during breakfast and demand Sasuke cook him a meal as a "mission by order of the Hokage."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. He was not in the mood for that damn idiot's antics. As he pulled away the sheets, he heard a moan. Sasuke shuddered. He felt the irritation build up inside. He didn't _care _if Hinata was away on a damn mission. This was _his _bed and he was _tired_. He spent the whole night working his ass off and he was read for some rest and relaxation.

But when Sasuke ripped the sheets back to destroy the blonde, the first thing he noticed was _pink_ hair.

The anger inside of him quickly drained like a plug in a bathtub. Sasuke could even feel the pop in his chest from the suction. He stared down at a cozy Haruno Sakura curled up in a ball, clutching onto his pillows for dear life. His gaze softened. Ah. So she did miss him. He just didn't expect to come home to her in his bed. Not that he was complaining. He paused as he took his shirt off. Why _was _she in his bed? He ripped off the white piece of clothing and slid until he was lying down. Not that he was complaining. He actually liked having the pink haired kunoichi sleeping soundly by him.

Sasuke looked at her tearstained cheeks. So she _did_ have nightmares every night. Ch. Little liar. How dare she try to hide that from him? He was an Uchiha. There wasn't anything that slipped past his excellent vision. He slipped in under the covers beside her. He sighed and patted Sakura gently on the head. If she wanted to hold onto that secret terror of hers then fine. But he refused to be the cause of her tears.

He silently made a note to never go for the night shift again. He wasn't going to leave her alone to deal with this. He could order one of his subordinates to deliver work to his home in the evenings. He grimaced, brushing her cheeks with his palm. He shouldn't have left her alone.

Feeling the sudden arrival of warmth, Sakura ditched the pillow and slid her arms around Sasuke's torso. The weight of her petite arms weighed down on his stomach and he smirked. Yes. She was worth waiting for. She had stuck by his side through his revenge…and his betrayal.

He should have asked her to be his the moment he came back to Konoha. But at that age, he had been too young to fully comprehend what his actions had done to her. At that age, he wasn't ready for his second goal in life. No, he kept going for power. He wanted the strength to protect the ones he loved. More and more power, to protect his honor—the future of the Uchiha clan. Now, nearly five years later, he was well aware of how hurt she was.

Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, Sasuke would make sure she got it. But for now, he would settle for making sure he took away every single last one of her nightmares. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to rest. He'd be long gone before she woke up. He'd be long gone before she could realize how hard he was falling for her.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto had a headache. And for once, it wasn't because of all of the documents he had to read on a regular basis. No, this headache was from arguing with the Konoha council all morning. He had fought. He had yelled. He had reasoned. He had begged. But _damn _those people were stubborn. It took him four hours to get them to _finally _agree to three months. Three months until he had to give the order to Sakura to succumb to Sasuke's request regardless of how the bastard felt about her.

_How _he was going to help make Sasuke fall in love with Sakura? And even better yet, if the idiot _did _love her, then how in the hell was he going to convince him to admit it? Naruto shook his head and leaned back in his chair. He couldn't do this alone.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata's delicate voice floated beyond the door way, "I-I've brought you your lunch…"

Naruto was up in a flash. If there was anyone he could talk to right then, it was Hinata. He smiled, and made sure his orange and black jumpsuit was in order. He knew he was hopeless, but for some strange reason, Hinata thought he was the best guy in the world. And he might be far from it, but he sure as hell would try.

"Hinata," he said with a large smile on his face as he opened the door, "Right on time."

Hinata searched his tired eyes. She gave him a worried look. "Mou, Naruto-kun…it didn't go well?"

"No, no," Naruto assured her, ushering her inside and shutting the door behind him. "They gave me the three months we need." He scratched his head. "But I just don't know how to get the two of them together." He frowned. "Sakura-chan's been trying for _years _to show him how much she loves him."

Hinata put the bento she had prepared down on the Hokage's desk and turned to her husband. "You know what this sounds like?"

Naruto blew his bangs out of his face. "A hopeless situation?"

Hinata laughed. "No." She blushed. "Us."

Naruto's irritation ebbed away. He looked at Hinata, the beautiful woman that she was, and let all of his worries disappear. She tilted her head and looked at him with her honest eyes.

"For years, I tried so hard to show you how I felt, Naruto," she said softly, "I encouraged you. I watched you grow. I helped you along your trials and errors." She giggled and covered her mouth. "Even when you nearly failed out of school." She let her hand drop and her smile faded. "But Naruto, you never noticed how I felt."

Naruto felt eternally guilty for not reciprocating her feelings sooner. She was everything good about this world wrapped up into one beautiful being. He should have noticed earlier how deeply she loved him. He should have swept her off her feet the moment they met. All the times she stood beside him in battle. All of the times she risked her life for him. So many times he should have…

Naruto was shocked out of his thoughts when he felt a hand cup his cheek. Her pale hands sent electricity up and down his spine. Such a simple gesture of love did wonders for him. Naruto knew his cheeks were reddening.

"I believe that Sasuke-kun will come around," Hinata said confidently. "Sakura-chan has worked so hard to earn his love…" She leaned in to kiss his lips. "Such selfless love will always be rewarded ten fold." She chuckled. "That is, if Sasuke-kun is half the man you are."

Naruto engulfed her mouth with his lips and wrapped his arms around her waist. Passion burst from her heart like birds fleeing from a tree. Hinata knew all too well how much selfless love could be rewarded. She was his, wholly and completely. She always had been.

Reluctantly, she pulled away, leaving Naruto wanting so much more. Lust laced his lips and eyes as he looked down at his bride. She placed a finger to his lips and tried to hide her blush by taking deep breaths.

"N-Naruto," she panted, trying to get the words out. "Aish—"

"Aishiteru," Naruto murmured, interrupting her. "Let me be the first to say it this time, Uzumaki-san." He leaned his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes. "Aishiteru, Hinata."

She opened her light lavender eyes to look up at him. Love, longing, and trust hit Naruto like a wave. It crashed down on him, drowning him in her emotions. He kept his hands wrapped tightly around her petite waist as she gazed at him.

"Sasuke-kun will admit his feelings for her," Hinata assured him. "Just as you have done for me." She smiled. "Because I will help you bring them together." She kissed his knuckles, one by one. "I will always be by your side, Naruto." She brought his index finger to her lips and gently licked it. "Forever."

There she was, just begging for him to show her his gratitude. And show her, he most certainly would. Naruto growled and lifted her up onto his desk. Hinata gasped and wrapped her arms around him, his core pressed against hers.

"Hinata," Naruto hoarsely said, "I'm _starving_."

Hinata blinked. Oh. Maybe she had misinterpreted the atmosphere…

"Ah, th-then here—"

Hinata reached for the bento, but he caught her hand. He slowly brought it to his lips and let it enter his mouth. Wrapping his tongue around her fingers, he gently sucked and watched her loving eyes darken in lust. He _loved _driving her wild.

"I'm not talking about the bento, Hinata," Naruto whispered, placing his hands on her knees and spreading them wide apart.

Oh. Yes. Hinata smiled. This was _her _kyuubi. _Her_ fox. _Her _husband. She had claimed him long ago—the first time she laid eyes on his blonde head, he was hers. She had loved him since the day she met him. Since before they were born, they were meant to be. He was tied to her by a single red thread that was unbreakable.

And as Naruto lowered himself to his meal, he grinned up at her cheekily.

"_Itadakimasu_."

* * *

"Okay, Ino," Sakura said matter of factly, as they walked down the halls of the hospital. "What's wrong?"

Ino was determinedly looking down at her clipboard and avoiding Sakura's gaze. Her blue eyes were glazed over, seeping with sadness. They were making their afternoon rounds for the weekly check up to make sure everything was running smoothly. Of course it was. With Haruno Sakura running everything, medics made _sure_ everything was perfect. If it wasn't, well, they had to face her wrath.

And _nobody _wanted to do that.

"Hmm?" Ino hummed distractedly.

"Ino, _watch _it," Sakura hissed as she yanked the blonde out of the way of a poor elderly man making his way down the hallway. "What is _with _you?"

Ino sighed, and tapped her pen against the clipboard. "Nan demo nai…"

Sakura was getting irritated. Ino told her everything. What was going on with her? She had been walking into walls and doorways all day. Why, just earlier that day she had been talking to a pole, thinking it was _Sakura._ Something was clearly up.

"_Ino_," Sakura said impatiently. "What's going on?"

Ino bit her lower lip and looked at Sakura. "Sai's been acting strange."

Sakura paused. She narrowed her eyes. "_Strange?_"

Ino put on the best smile she could. "I-It's probably nothing."

Sakura peered into a hospital room where she knew Minashi-san worked. She waved at the medic nin before turning and walking further down. She checked off a box on her clipboard.

"Acting strange _how?_" Sakura asked lightly.

Ino sweat dropped. "I-It's nothing—promise."

Sakura huffed. She hated being lied to. Especially by her closest friend. She glared at the blonde.

"Ino," she said, "If you don't talk, we're going to go into my office and I will _make _you talk." She clenched her jaw. "Now tell me."

Ino chuckled. Sakura was definitely her best friend. She clutched her clipboard close to her chest.

"Well," she started off, "Sai's been kind of distant lately."

Sakura looked at her. Sai was _always _distant. But looking at Ino's distraught face and slumped shoulders, she figured it was worth looking into. Sakura rested her hand on Ino's head.

"Daijoubu," Sakura assured her. "Tell me what's going on."

Ino let the tears fall and Sakura's chest ached.

"Ne, ne," Sakura said quietly, leading her away, "Let's go to my office."

Sobbing, Ino agreed and let Sakura hold her hand. She wrapped her fingers in Sakura's and they walked down the hallway together. Sakura couldn't help but smile.

They had always been like this. Whenever one of them truly needed the other, they were there. When Sasuke left the village, Ino was the one to take care of her. She helped her back on her feet and get the determination back in her system. And when Naruto left, Ino picked up the slack. She had always been there for Sakura. Which is why when Ino cried, Sakura would make sure that _somebody _paid.

Sakura opened up her office and allowed Ino to come in. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She watched as Ino's shoulders shook. Sakura walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around the shivering woman.

"Whatever it is," Sakura murmured, "I'm here for you."

"I-I don't know," Ino hiccupped. "First was the sex. He just suddenly stopped wanting it, saying he needed to wait." She wiped away her tears and rubbed away her snot. "Wait for _what?_"

Sakura nodded sympathetically. Both her and Ino knew what lack of sex meant: the doomed ending of a relationship. She frowned and tilted her head. But Ino and Sai had been together for three years. Any problems they had, Sai would normally pick up a book on relationships, read about it, and then ask Ino what he was doing wrong. She'd always talk with him. She was always honest about her feelings.

"A-And he's coming home later than usual," Ino explained. "I'll make dinner for us, and then he'll come in at ten o'clock at night like nothing's wrong." She sniffled. "But something _is _wrong." She wailed. "I feel like my relationship is crumbling, Sakura!"

Sakura yanked Ino close to her chest and let the poor woman heave on her shoulder. She narrowed her eyes. Whatever was going on, Sakura didn't like. She didn't like it one bit.

"He barely kisses me anymore," Ino sighed, "And he doesn't look me in the eye." She pulled away to let Sakura see her blotchy face. "Am I supposed to ignore it? Is it me?" Her lower lip trembled. "I'm _fat, _aren't I?" She grabbed at her abs. "I need to go on a diet—"

Sakura held up a hand to stop Ino from rambling. This wasn't helping things. She needed more information. Sakura folded her arms and sighed.

"I'll tail him," she said. "I'll find out what's going on. Okay?"

Ino sniffled once more. "Y-You're a really great friend, you know?"

Sakura smirked. "Yeah I know." She eyed Ino's stomach. "But maybe you _should _go on a diet." She pulled down the skin under her eye and stuck out her tongue teasingly. "Bleh."

Ino laughed. A sound Sakura was glad she could still produce. When Sasuke left, she couldn't even fake laugh. After a while, she had managed to master the art of acting and laughed as naturally as possible. But she refused to let Ino go through something like that.

No, Ino had a heart of gold. She deserved the best. And Sakura was going to get to the bottom of this. If Sai was up to something, Haruno Sakura would find out.

All of a sudden, two bodies bulldozed down the door. Toppling over one another, were Udon and Moegi. Out of breath and panting, they looked up at a very pissed off Sakura.

"I _just _had that door fixed!" she screamed, pulling at her pink hair. "Damn it!"

"N-Naruto-sama!" Udon gasped, running to the head medic ninja's feet. "A-And Sasuke-sama. S-Sakura-sama..."

Sakura frowned. She exchanged looks with Ino before turning to the younger shinobi. She placed her hands on her hips and sighed.

"What'd they do this time?"

* * *

"A-Ano—" Konohamaru said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "G-Guys?"

"Teme, just _admit _you love her!" Naruto yelled, thrusting a punch in Sasuke's face.

"Shove it, dobe!" Sasuke snapped back, dodging and side sweeping him.

"Argh!" Naruto growled, blocking the kick. "Just admit your damn feelings!"

"I think you need to speak up, Konohamaru-kun," Sai offered up, smiling at him. "I don't believe they heard you."

Konohamaru sweat dropped. When he had asked Sasuke and Naruto to spar for him, he wasn't expecting a verbal fight. He just wanted to see them go at it for fun. Now that they were shouting at each other, he wasn't so happy he asked for it. He hoped Moegi and Udon would hurry up and get Sakura. She was the only one who could stop the two of them now.

"Look, I know you're interested in her," Naruto snarled. He twisted Sasuke's leg, but Sasuke spun with it and out of his grip. "So just freakin' tell it to her and start rebuilding the Uchiha clan."

"The _hell _is this?" Sasuke bit, elbowing a clone of Naruto in the gut. "I thought we were _sparring_, not having a heart to heart."

"You have to _have _a heart for that!" Naruto yelled.

Since lunch, Naruto was on a mission: tick Sasuke the hell off and get him to admit his damn feelings for Sakura. Screw it all. Patience was not a virtue in Naruto's book. He wanted Sasuke to hurry up and fuck the brains out of the pink haired kunoichi. The sooner he did that, the faster the council would get off his and Sakura's back.

"Damn it, baka," Sasuke cursed, nearly getting swiped in the chest by kunai. "What the hell are you aiming for?"

"Your—" Swipe. "Sexy—" Swipe. "_Abs!_"

Sasuke looked at Naruto incredulously. "Are you having issues with Hinata?" His eyebrows rose. "Is that what this is about?"

Naruto let out a groan of frustration. "No way! You want Sakura to rebuild your damn clan, right?"

Sasuke flipped backward as Naruto came at him hard. Right block. Left kick. Knee up. Duck down. Jump. Sasuke was getting really ticked. All of this sudden pressure from Naruto was giving him a migraine.

"Of course," he said, stepping aside and redirecting Naruto's punch.

Naruto managed to slide the edge of his kunai along Sasuke's stomach. It wasn't a deep wound, but it was enough. Sasuke glared.

"Then show off your eight pack!" Naruto yelled. "And tell her you love her!"

Sasuke was officially convinced the Hokage had jumped off the deep end. There could be no other explanation for such crazy words to be coming from his mouth.

"N-Ne," Konohamaru said to Sai who was standing next to him, "Sh-Shouldn't we do something?"

Sai smiled. He had to agree. Something needed to be done.

He cupped his mouth and waved at Naruto. "Ne! Naruto-kun! Have you lost your mind along with your balls?"

Naruto snapped. That was it. "_Damn it Sasuke!_" He clenched his fists. "Take off your shirt!"

And that is exactly when Sakura appeared on the grounds closely followed by Moegi, Idon and Ino. Jade eyes watched as an orange and black blur flew by, the shouts of Naruto loud and clear. Her cheeks went red.

"Get _off!_" Sasuke snarled, trying to get Naruto to let go of his shirt. "Dobe!"

"Teme!"

"Urusuratonkachi!"

Sakura was pissed. She had no idea what was going on, but she was certainly going to end it. Stomping off into the middle of the training grounds while the two bickered and ran, the ground around her feet crumbled. She flexed her fist. Sakura wound it up.

She slammed it into the ground and let the earth shake in fear. Trees fell and rocks came tumbling down. Udon, Moegi, and Konohamaru all stared in shock while Sai just smiled polity. Ino sighed. Here it came…

"_You two_," Sakura hissed, coming between the two dolts and grabbing their shoulders tightly. "**_Sit._**"

She forced them to the ground in front of her. She glared at them and placed her hands on her hips.

"Now," Sakura barked, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Tell me what the _hell _is going on."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other. They exchanged glances. No way in hell were they going to tell Sakura what they were arguing about. Naruto and Sasuke folded their arms and turned their heads away from each other.

Sakura, ever patient, tapped her foot, crushing the ground beneath her. "_Guys._"

Naruto broke first. He pointed at Sasuke. "He started it!"

Sasuke shot Naruto a glare. "Dobe."

"I don't care _who _started it," Sakura snarled. She noticed Sasuke's shirt in Naruto's hand. "Give him his shirt back."

Naruto pouted. "No."

"_Naruto_," Sakura hissed, "You do _not _want to test my patience right now."

Sasuke tried to hide his smirk as Naruto looked up at Sakura like a child being scolded. He puffed out his lower lip and gave Sasuke back his white shirt reluctantly.

"And what do we say, Naruto?" Sakura encouraged.

Naruto stared up at her with an open mouth. She had to be joking.

"Demo—"

"_What _do we say, Naruto?" she asked again, her temple throbbing.

Naruto looked like he just swallowed slime. In a low voice, he muttered, "Gomen."

Sakura nodded down at him. She turned to Sasuke who had his shirt in his hands.

"And Sasuke?" she prodded, "What do we say?"

He glanced at Naruto. "Gomen…soshite arigatou." He looked up at Sakura with a stern look. Was she happy now?

But then a smile spread over her face and she was back to her sparkling self in a moment. "Excellent. Now let me heal you, Naruto." She snatched Naruto by the ear and started dragging him away. Over her shoulder, she called, "Ino! Take care of Sasuke, would you?"

Ino nervously looked between Sai and Sakura. It felt like forever the last time they had a moment alone. Ever since he'd been acting strangely, he avoided her at all costs. But of course, she agreed and watched her best friend walk off with the Hokage.

Sakura slogged Naruto along behind some bushes before throwing him roughly down. The bruise on his butt ached. She sat in front of him and harshly placed her hands on his chest. If looks could kill…

"Baka," Naruto whined, "_You _should be healing him! I got him shirtless for _you_—"

Sakura slapped him. "Urusai." She frowned. "The _hell _is going on, Naruto?"

Naruto sighed and scratched the back of his head. "The council gave you three months. Then after that, they give you the order or I do." He looked at her sympathetically. "I tried to beat the feelings out of the bastard but," he shrugged, "He has no heart."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Naruto, while I appreciate your help, _subtlety _is not one of your strengths." She placed her hands over his bleeding legs. "Fuck, Naruto." She tore his pants slightly to get a better look at his wound. "This is deep." She looked at him. "What did you _say _to Sasuke?"

Naruto clenched his jaw. "Nan demo nai."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "_Boys._"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was, once again, pissed. He stared at his ceiling in anger. How _dare _Naruto just start asking those stupid questions? Where'd he get off with that? Did he get some sort of sick pleasure from tormenting his best friend?

Sasuke shifted in his bed, folding his pillow in half, and turned to his side. He stared at his closet handle, needing something to focus on. He needed to calm down. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

He wasn't going to admit his feelings. Least of all to Naruto. _What _feelings? He swallowed. So what if his heart pounded when Sakura looked at him? And so what if he found himself feeling almost happy most of the time she was around? That didn't mean anything. He huffed. It meant _nothing._

He turned on his other side and adjusted his pillow again. Now he was staring out his window at the stars.

Okay. So what if it _did _mean something? Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Emotions were useless. Bonds were difficult. And Haruno Sakura rejected him. _Him. _Uchiha Sasuke. Traitor and hero to Konoha. Even if he _did _have feelings, they were being overpowered by his anger and pride. If he went begging for her a second time around, it'd be humiliating.

No. He'd just have to wait. She'd succumb to him eventually.

_Thump._

Sasuke sat up in his bed.

_Crash._

He was running down the hall.

_Thud._

Kicking open the double doors to the main bedroom, his sharingan blaring, he quickly looked down at a crying Sakura. Tangled in the sheets and shivering on the floor, she looked so frightened. He stared down at her.

"Sakura," he said in a clear, calm voice, "Doushita no?"

But he already knew what was wrong.

"D-Daijobu," Sakura stuttered, clinging to the sheets helplessly. "Y-You can go."

Nightmares again.

Sasuke stared at her. He frowned. "Do you need me to get you water?"

"N-No," Sakura said with a fake smile. He felt like vomiting. "You c-can go."

Sasuke hesitantly turned. He didn't want to leave her. She was still so scared. But he wanted to respect her wishes. He decided to compromise.

"My door will be open," Sasuke said slowly, "Call for me and I will come."

He started walking back out when something caught the edge of his shirt. He stopped. Turning his torso along with his head, he saw pale fingers tugging at the bottom of his shirt. He stared at Sakura in surprise.

She, in turn, was shocked at her behavior. Her hand had just moved on its own. She blinked.

"G-Gomen," she laughed nervously, letting go, "I-I don't know why I did..." Feeling a heavy weight over her, and soft warm skin on her body, she was thrust into bed with the Uchiha heir on top of her. The wind was knocked out of her. "...that."

Sasuke kept her gaze. "I'll stay."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You don't have to."

Sasuke slid off of her and laid on his back. He wrapped his arm around her.

"I'll stay," he repeated.

Sakura's gaze softened and she cautiously rested her head on his chest. "Arigatou...Sasuke-kun."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Haruno Sakura had always dreamt about waking up to the handsome Uchiha Sasuke. That is, outside of team seven experiences. Those always involved Naruto and weren't ever really romantic. That blonde idiot always snored really loudly and kept trying to cuddle up to Sasuke. It was a little awkward. It was _more_ than a little awkward, actually.

But still, Haruno Sakura had always dreamt about waking up to the rugged and daring Uchiha in a cozy bed. That dream entailed her gracefully waking up in his arms, bare naked from their love making the night before, and him gracing her lips with a kiss. After that, he would have another go with her right then and there, and she would fall back asleep after having been fully satisfied by her lover. She would wake up again about an hour later with him serving her breakfast and then he would pluck her up from the sheets and whisk her off into the bathroom where he would have his way with her once more in the bath.

So when Haruno Sakura woke up to a pummeled Sasuke, she was _very _confused.

His black eye was menacing and his one good one shot her a glare. That was one way to wake the Uchiha up. It probably wasn't the best way, but Sasuke was definitely awake. He couldn't help but feel irritated with the woman in bed with him. He had been sleeping so well with his face buried in that sweet hair of hers and her nuzzled in his neck. So when she tiredly stretched her arm out from under him, he figured it was to get closer. After all, she had been all over him the whole night. But no, what he got was a face full of Haruno Sakura's fist.

"Sakura," he said slowly, teetering on the cliff of anger, "_Why _did you punch me?"

Sakura sweat dropped. "I-I was dreaming about Sai."

Sasuke tiptoed to the edge and looked down. There, in the ocean of rage, his heart was waiting for him with open arms. He leapt.

"What the _hell _is wrong with you?" he growled, his bruised eye twitching. "Clearly I'm _not _Sai."

Sakura's jade orbs trailed down his eight-pack. Clearly. She swallowed her desire down. She swallowed it deep, _deep _down inside of her.

"L-Let me heal you," Sakura said apologetically. She raised her glowing green fingers to his face. "Gomenasai."

Sasuke gave her a disapproving look. She was not deterred. She just focused on his perfect nose instead of his angry eyes. The bruise on his face ebbed away until he was healed. He sighed.

"_Why _were you dreaming about Sai?" Sasuke asked patiently, resting his head on his hand.

"Oh," Sakura said, making sure the bruise was completely gone. "Ino's been…"

She paused. Should she be telling him this? She looked into those onyx eyes of his. He wouldn't tell a soul. She and Naruto could barely get him to speak as it was. There was no way he'd talk to anyone about it.

"Ino's been having some doubts," she explained, touching the patch of skin she had injured and feeling the warmth of his skin. "He's coming home late and their love life is stagnant."

Sasuke looked at her. "You're distressed."

"Because _she's _distressed," Sakura continued, letting her hand fall on her hip. She suddenly noticed his arm was wrapped around her waist. "They've been together for three years." She bit her lower lip anxiously. "I don't know if he wants to end it or if he's…"

She didn't want to say it. She knew Sai was socially slow, but could he really cheat on his lover?

Sasuke hummed. "Sai might be an ass." He glanced at Sakura's ruffled hair. "But he's incapable of being unfaithful."

Sakura smiled. "Hai. But then what is it?"

Sasuke thought for a moment. "None of your business."

Sakura's jaw dropped. She stared at him. Of course it was her business! Ino was her best friend. She couldn't just let the poor girl suffer. If it were her in that position, she'd hope Ino would be a good enough friend to watch out for her back.

"D-Demo Sasuke," Sakura protested, "If something _is _wrong, I need to make sure so I can—"

Sasuke sighed. "You're not gonna stop until you find out, aren't you?"

"Hai." Sakura smiled.

Sasuke smirked. "You really _are_ annoying."

He let go of her and started sliding out of bed. It was about time for him to make breakfast for the two of them. He felt her fingers wrap around his arm. Feeling her pulse through her hand, he noticed how fast it was beating. Heh. So he made her nervous. He paused and looked back at her, expecting her to ask him to stay.

"_Don't_."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Her mood had changed so swiftly. From concerned and content to pain and hurt, Sasuke watched her face fall behind her bangs. He didn't move. He was frozen.

"Don't say that to me," Sakura said quietly. Her voice was still.

Sasuke's heart plummeted and he watched as a single tear trailed down her cheek. He couldn't stand her tears. He had seen enough of them throughout his days with her. And the previous night he had to fall asleep with his chest wet from them. But when she shot her gaze up at him, anger was all he saw. The pain was gone.

"Don't you _ever _say that to me again," she said coldly.

Sasuke felt the room drop ten degrees Celsius. She pulled away from him. As she did so, she made sure her nightgown was covering her fully. She slinked out of the bed and headed for the door. She stopped herself on the way out. She looked back at him and shot him a glare.

"_You're _annoying," she snapped. "_Baka._"

* * *

Sakura was seething. She snatched her punch card from the stupid receptionist and punched it before stomping her way off to her office. Really. Who did that damn Uchiha think he was? The freaking Hokage?

_Well._ Sakura snorted and folded her arms, nodding to herself. He had another think coming. Baka. Teme. _Annoying_. Ooh, that made her _so _mad! Of _all _things, why the _hell _would he say that to her?

She pushed past two of her colleagues. They made to wave at her, but quickly let their hands drop. When Sakura was pissed, it was best to stay out of her way.

She barreled through the double door stairway and pounded her way upward. Just because she let him sleep in her bed he was getting all cocky. _She _hadn't forgotten his goal. She hadn't forgotten _hers_ either.

But at the end of the day, she wanted his respect. She wanted his acknowledgement. If she was ever going to get him to fully love and appreciate her, she was going to require that above all else.

She had trained with Tsunade. She was the top medical ninja in the five great shinobi countries. She was famous for her skill in not only healing but total chakra control. She had formed the byakūgo. She was a worthy Sannin.

Even so, Sasuke was still calling her annoying? She let out a bitter chuckle as she burst through the door on the top level and made her way down the hall. How _dare _that pompous, inconsiderate—

"Ah, Sakura!" a male voice came from behind.

Sakura stopped in her tracks. She turned on her heel and let out a big grin. There, mask always in place, stood Kakashi, his eyes tilted upward to show his utter happiness.

"Kaka-sensei!" Sakura squealed, letting go of all her anger for a brief moment, "When'd you get back from your mission?"

"Just now, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, running up from behind Kakashi. "Mission was a success!"

"You really do need to give me harder missions, Naruto," Kakashi reprimanded him, "Escorting an old lady across fire country is _not _entertaining."

Sakura chuckled and motioned for them to follow her. "Even still, I need to give you your check up."

Kakashi followed Sakura while Naruto grinned cheekily. It was always good to have everyone back home where they belonged. No matter who was gone, Sakura always missed her boys when they had to leave. She frowned. Speaking of which, she hadn't been on a mission in a few years. Her fighting skills were still fantastic and she had enough experience to still get into it with someone, but she did miss the good old days of team seven.

"And how are Sai and Sasuke doing?" Kakashi asked Naruto casually.

"Sai no baka," Naruto chirped, folding his arms stubbornly. "Soshite Sasuke no teme."

Kakashi laughed. "Hai, hai." He nodded. "Good to know they're doing so well." He glanced at Naruto. "And Hinata-chan? How is she?"

Naruto looked away, the blush on his cheeks prominent. "Sh-She's good."

"Still having sex like rabbits, huh?" Kakashi asked.

"Kaka-sensei," Sakura scolded, as she pushed her key into the doorknob and unlocked her office. "How dare you ask him that?" Naruto was about to say something in agreement, when the pink haired kunoichi continued, "You ought to know Hinata is a sex fiend."

Kakashi laughed while steam poured out of Naruto's ears. "Ch, Kaka-sensei, at least _I'm _getting some." He pointed at Sakura. "_She's _sleeping with Sasuke-teme and they're not even _doing _it."

Sakura was fuming now. Her temple throbbed but still, she smiled.

"Naruto," she said kindly, "Is there any particular reason you're in the hospital?"

Naruto looked at her in confusion. "I brought Kakashi-sensei to you."

Sakura nodded and pointed to the door. "Then you've fulfilled your purpose." She waved him on. "You can wait outside."

Naruto's half smile turned to a grumpy pout. He shuffled out the door reluctantly and slammed it behind him. He always loved being with his friends and hated being left out. Too bad Sakura just kicked him out of the room.

"So…" Kakashi started off awkwardly as he took off his shirt. "You're living with Sasuke now."

"Not by choice," Sakura confessed. "Some jackass burned my apartment down."

"So sorry to hear that."

"Mhmm," she hummed, reaching for her stethoscope. She pressed it against his back. "Take a deep breath for me now." Kakashi inhaled. "Oh, and Sasuke asked me to rebuild his clan with him."

Kakashi exhaled, coughing as he did so. "N-Nani?"

Sakura looked at him, dead serious. Kakashi's eyebrows tilted downward. So the kid was already onto his second goal.

"Well, that doesn't come as a surprise," Kakashi said with a shrug, brushing off the initial shock. "You love him. Seems fine."

Sakura tensed and pressed the stethoscope over his smooth chest. "Inhale." Kakashi did so. "I rejected him."

Kakashi sputtered out his air. "I thought you would've accepted."

Sakura grinned. "A lot of people still do."

Kakashi's eye narrowed. There was something his old pupil wasn't telling him. As she peered into the fascinating depths of his ears, he couldn't help but wonder what made Sasuke feel the need to ask her now. They were adults, for sure. They were both secure financially, but for the Uchiha, money would certainly never be a problem. He was the sole inheritor to his family's fortune. He had marked off his first goal and had returned to Konoha five years before…

Kakashi scratched his chin. Maybe he should have a talk with the kid. Try to get inside his head.

"Sakura," Kakashi said slowly, "I haven't seen Sasuke in a while."

Sakura eyed him. "You want to come over."

Kakashi smiled. "Well, if you insist…"

Sakura rolled her eyes. After the morning she shared with Sasuke, it beat going home alone to him that night.

"Can I come too?" Naruto asked excitedly, peeking his head through the crack of the door.

Sakura growled. "_Get out!_"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was used to strange things happening to him. For instance, in their genin days, Naruto had tied him up and pretended to be him for some unknown reason. Or the time Kakashi decided to use his "sennen goroshi" on Naruto. Or when he came home one day and happened to find his entire clan slaughtered by his brother. Overall, Uchiha Sasuke was definitely used to strange things happening to him.

But when he opened the door of his home to find Uzumaki Hinata standing there by herself, he was perplexed. She stared at him. He stared at her. He invited her in. She entered. He started making tea. And she sat there. She just…sat there.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched as the water heated up. What in the hell could Uzumaki Hinata want with him? Their only reason for speaking was the dobe. He entwined his fingers and leaned on his elbows. He stared at Hinata. She stared at him.

Should he speak? What was he supposed to say? Would she even respond? They hadn't talked much—at all, actually—throughout their entire experience together. She normally just spoke with Naruto and Sakura. He had to admit, they were a rather easy pair to get along with. But Sasuke and Hinata were very similar. They just didn't talk much. And when they did, it was…

"Th-The weather's nice," Hinata finally spoke.

"Hn."

They sat at the table in silence. Hinata held tightly onto something small she was holding. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Was that all she was going to say?

"Naruto says hello."

"Ah."

Six words. Two sentences. Sasuke shot a glare at the teapot. Could it heat up any slower?

"I-I know that this is out of the blue," Hinata said quickly, her eyes closing from anxiety, "But I wanted to talk to you."

Sasuke looked at her. So something _was _wrong with Naruto. He leaned back in his chair. His interest was peeked.

"S-Sometimes couples miscommunicate their feelings," Hinata started off. "And things aren't as black and white as we'd like them to be. Sometimes the lines of communication have a gape."

Sasuke nodded. So it was a communication issue between the two of them. No shocker there. The woman couldn't even start a proper conversation with Sasuke let alone get her emotions across to someone else.

"But," Hinata continued, "I think if we're honest with ourselves, and with others, we can bridge that gape." She shot her eyes open and looked at him. "I think if you care for someone deeply, you can overcome anything."

Sasuke heard the steam come from the spout, and stood up. He grabbed the handle and poured two cups of tea. Setting one down in front of the Uzumaki bride, he warned her it was hot. Hinata had thanked him graciously as he sat back down in silence.

"I-I guess what I'm trying to say," Hinata said, struggling to find the words she wanted to speak, "Is that we need to be honest with our feelings." She looked at Sasuke. "No matter what."

Sasuke wrapped his hands around the warm mug and brought it to his lips. He felt conflicted. On one hand, Hinata was about to confide valuable information about her relationship with Naruto to him. He could use it to help them through their issues. As much as he found others annoying, he really wanted to make sure Naruto awas all right. On the other, the information Hinata was about to give him could destroy their friendship and her and his relationship.

Sasuke took a sip of tea.

"I do not mince words, Sasuke-kun," Hinata said slowly, "I think you need to admit your feelings for Sakura."

He choked on the tea as it struggled down his windpipe. He let out a few coughs, glaring at the Uzumaki. She was as nosy as her no good husband. And here he thought people would be able to mind their own damn business and manage their own damn problems.

"What feelings?" Sasuke asked, once he could breath again.

Hinata stared at him. "You love her, but you're too afraid to admit it."

Sasuke clenched his jaw and tightened his fists. She came into his home to tell him this? What happened to the silent Hyūga heir who wouldn't speak unless spoken to? Sasuke smirked. Maybe Naruto had something to do with her confidence. He did seem to have that effect on others.

Hinata sighed and lifted her hand to the table. She placed a small black box on the table. She smiled gently at Sasuke.

"I'm not going to sit here and reprimand you as Naruto has done," Hinata said honestly, "Rather, I'm going to tell you as the Hyūga clan heiress to the Uchiha clan heir." She narrowed her eyes. "You need Haruno Sakura to continue your lineage." Hinata opened the lid of the container and set it aside, turning it so Sasuke would not be able to see what was inside. "And I am here to help."

Sasuke held back a sneer. The humble Hinata was going to help _him _get Sakura to rebuild his clan. What did she know? At least her clan was thriving. He opened his mouth to say so, but a single look from her made him stop.

"_Listen_ to what I have to say," Hinata murmured. "You lost your mother at an early age…" Sasuke tensed. "You never had someone to help you in this area. So I will assist you in wooing Sakura-chan."

The Uchiha looked at her carefully. The loss of loved ones was a very high cost to pay. Judging from the look in her eyes, Hinata was dead serious. But what was in it for her?

"Why are you helping me?" he finally asked. "The Hyūga clan and the Uchiha clan have always been civil, at best." Sasuke eyed her warily. "I am Naruto's best friend, but why are you helping me?"

Hinata smiled. "I care." She pushed the open box forward for Sasuke to peer in. "And everything you need to make Sakura yours is in there."

Sasuke gave her a look before leaning forward. His onyx orbs widened as he looked in the box.

"Hinata," he said slowly, "How did you get this?"

Hinata smiled and winked. "As the Hokage's wife, there is very _little _I cannot retrieve."

Sasuke swallowed hard. He thought it had been lost. Never would he have guessed...He shakily reached for it.

"This is—"

_Bam._

"Sasuke-teme!" Naruto's voice shouted, "Sorry I broke your door!"

"Mou, _Naruto!_" Sakura snarled. "At least take off your shoes!"

"Sorry for intruding," Kakashi called.

Hinata's eyes opened wide and she moved to take the box back, but Sasuke was way ahead of her. He had closed the box and was already shoving it in his pocket. He looked at the relieved Uzumaki bride and nodded.

"Arigatou, Hinata."

And with that, his old teammates and sensei came barreling through the kitchen entranceway, making themselves at home, and laughing all the while. Sasuke couldn't help but try to hide his smile as he watched Sakura scold Naruto. This was how it was always meant to be.

* * *

"So…" Kakashi drawled, walking beside Sasuke and Naruto. "How is…everything?"

Sasuke glared at Kakashi. "Getting kicked out of my own damn house is _great_."

Kakashi sweat dropped. Yes, Haruno Sakura was quite a force to be reckoned with when she had her heart set on something. When the three of them had stumbled into Sasuke and Hinata's conversation, the first thing Sakura wanted to do was make dinner for everyone. It had been such a long time team seven did something like that together that she hurried the boys out of the house so she and Hinata could get cooking. She insisted that they go find Sai, so he could join in on the fun.

The Uchiha heir, however, wasn't so keen on the idea. He knew Sakura had an ulterior motive to getting him out of the house. She was so stiff when speaking to him, was she still angry about that morning? So when he found himself shoved out on the road with Naruto and Kakashi, he was _very _grumpy. And a grumpy Uchiha was never fun to be around.

"Ne, ne," Naruto laughed as they walked down the street to find their other teammate. "You have a good talk with Hinata-chan?"

Sasuke saw the innocent look in his eye. He raised his eyebrows. Ah. The Hyūga didn't consult with Naruto about her visit. A wise choice, in his opinion. Naruto wasn't really good at keeping secrets.

"Hn," Sasuke replied. "She's interesting."

Naruto tilted his head back proudly. "Of course. She's _my _wife, after all."

Their feet padded against the dirt as they made their way toward the training grounds. They had already stopped by Ino's apartment, but he wasn't there. Second best bet would be the training grounds.

Kakashi rolled his good eye. "You're lucky to have such a doting wife, Naruto." He folded his arms. "Not too many women would give it up breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Naruto blushed and frowned at the white haired ninja. "Urusai."

Kakashi turned on Sasuke. "And you're lucky to have Sakura living in your house." He scratched his cheek. "How exactly did her apartment burn down?"

Sasuke noticed Naruto's shoulder tense. "Not sure. We're still checking it out."

Kakashi nodded. "Or maybe you're too busy checking her out."

Sasuke and Naruto glared at their sensei. Kakashi laughed uneasily and held up his hands in retreat. "Too much?"

"Oh, my precious love!" Sai's booming voice echoed through the forest.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi stopped in their tracks. What the hell was _that?_ Leaping to the trees above, they made their way toward the voice.

"You make my penis hard," he said, "And my loins ache with pleasure!"

Naruto nearly fell from the branch he landed on. He dodged the tree limbs as he jumped beside Sasuke. He glanced at the stone cold Uchiha. Sasuke seemed to be just as confused as he was.

"You make my heart palpitate at irregular levels," he continued. "And force my very core to throb."

Naruto held his stomach. He thought he was gonna be sick.

Sasuke frowned. Who could Sai be talking to? They had just visited Ino's place and she was there. So who was he talking to? He felt a lurch in his gut. Sakura had mentioned she was worried that morning for her dear friend's sake. Maybe Sai _was _cheating on Ino.

"And every time we osculate, I feel happy," he said. "In fact, every time we perform coitus, and you let out that cry of joy, I am overwhelmed with emotion."

Kakashi hurried. Whatever drug Sai was on, Kakashi was positive it was affecting his judgment. As he pushed through the bushes and into the clearing with Sasuke and Naruto on either side of him, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly he was walking into.

But there, down on one knee, in front of a very irritated Shikamaru, was Sai. He held the shinobi's hand delicately, tenderly hovering his lips above his wrist. Shikamaru was scratching the back of his head awkwardly. Chōji, who was eating popcorn, sat on a log, watching the two interact.

"What the _hell_, Sai?" Naruto yelled, pulling out his blonde hair. "This is worse than the time I walked in on Shikamaru and Sakura-chan playing doctor on her desk!"

Both Kakashi and Sasuke looked at him. Kakashi in confusion, Sasuke in anger.

Sai turned his head to smile politely at his teammates. "Forgive me for being rude, but if you intend to stay, please sit over with Chōji-san."

Sasuke tilted his head. "What's going on here?"

"They're practicing Sai's proposal," Chōji said with a mouthful of butter and popcorn. "He's been working on it for weeks."

Sai sighed and stood from his kneeling position. "Now we'll have to start from the top…"

Naruto folded his arms. "Why're you practicing?"

Sai looked at Sasuke. "After hearing about _your_ failed attempt at getting Ugly," Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, "I decided that I would take a different approach." He held up a finger to explain. "I read if women feel that they are just a means for procreation, they get _very _upset." He nodded. "So I've decided to stop having coitus with Ino and propose to her in a few days." He grinned. "Then we can have all the coitus we want because we'll be engaged and she'll know I don't see her as just an object!"

Kakashi didn't know whether to pat Sasuke on the back or high five Sai for ripping the Uchiha to shreds in just a few sentences. He glanced at the seething Uchiha. Despite Sai's total lack of awareness, he did have a point. Sasuke needed to make Sakura know she wasn't just a means to an end.

"Whatever," Sasuke said grumpily, digging his hands into his pockets, "Just come over to my place in a little. Sakura and Hinata are making dinner and want you to come." He eyed Shikamaru and Chōji. "…You can come too."

Naruto looked at Sasuke in shock. Was he actually inviting others into his dwelling? Did the bastard have a heart after all?

"Yo," Sasuke said to Naruto and Kakashi, "We should drop by Ino's place again."

He didn't have to say it outloud, but everyone heard it loud and clear: we should drop by Ino's place again…because Sakura would like it.

Naruto grinned.

"All right, teme!" Naruto shouted, swinging an arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

"Baka, get off."

"Who you calling 'baka', _baka?_"

Kakashi sighed. And these were two out of three the best Konoha had to offer? He shook his head. They were all doomed.

* * *

Haruno Sakura was _still _upset from that morning about what Sasuke had said to her. Annoying? Really? She squirted toothpaste on her toothbrush. How could the most skilled medic nin in the five great shinobi countries be annoying? She shoved her brush into her mouth and started scrubbing. She had avoided his gaze all throughout dinner. With well over five people eating at the table, it wasn't hard.

She paused in making her gums bleed. Sasuke did seem rather irritated through dinner. She spat. But that stupid Uchiha should have thought about that before he called her annoying. She wiped her lips on her hand towel before tossing her hair over her shoulder.

She adjusted her nightgown, puffed out her chest, and ripped the door open. She was on a mission. She was going to make that damn bastard regret the day he decided she was _annoying_.

Her feet padded down the hall, echoing as she took each step. She didn't care if he heard her. She _wanted _him to. She swung her bedroom doors open and rushed to her dresser.

The ultimate weapon was at her disposal. She shifted through her undergarments and ripped out her green vibrator. She smirked. Oh yes. Uchiha Sasuke was going to pay.

She clicked the on button.

Nothing happened.

Sakura's jaw dropped. No. No _way._

She pressed it again. No vibrations. Nothing.

Sakura groaned. Of all days. Why'd it have to stop working then? She looked at the thing. She tilted her head. So what if it didn't vibrate? She grinned. She'd just have to go longer and harder.

She threw herself on the bed and parted her legs. Taking the shaft, she moved it to her opening and—

"Sakura," Sasuke's voice came through the door. "Could I speak with you?"

She let her head fall in disappointment. "Hai, Sasuke…"

Sakura rolled off of the bed and threw her useless vibrator back in her dresser. She threw the doors open to come face to face with a shirtless Sasuke. She blinked.

"Doushita no?" Sakura asked, avoiding looking at his eight-pack.

"…Sai," Sasuke said slowly. "You were concerned about him and Ino this morning."

Sakura looked up at him. "Hm?" She leaned back and started closing the doors again. "Oh, that." She shook her head. "You said it was none of my business, so…"

Sasuke swiftly reached out to stop the door from being slammed in his face. "Sai is proposing to Ino." He pushed it back. "By the end of the week."

The pink haired kunoichi stared up at the black haired man. Her eyes narrowed. "He's what?"

"I just thought you should know," Sasuke said coolly. "Since you were so worried."

Sakura tilted her head to the side. That would explain Sai's strange behavior to some degree, but…

"So why isn't he sleeping with her?" Sakura asked Sasuke.

Sasuke turned his gaze away. "He doesn't want her to think she's just his…" Sasuke searched for the right word. "_Release_."

Sakura's eyes softened. Sai was going to ask Ino to marry him. She smiled and sighed.

"I'm glad," she murmured, rubbing her head. "Watching them at dinner tonight, I was scared…" She laughed. "Never mind then." She looked to Sasuke and let her grin spread wide across her face. "Arigatou, Sasuke-kun."

He nodded. They stood there for a moment. She looked at him. He looked at her. He backed away. As he turned, he stopped himself.

"Sakura," he said, watching her reaction in the corner of his eye. "Gomen."

Her fingers flew to her lips, trying to suppress a gasp. Did Sasuke just…?

"M-Matte," Sakura stammered, taking a step forward.

He looked back to her. She rubbed her arm awkwardly. Well, she had his attention now. Sasuke's eyebrows rose.

"W-Would you…?" Sakura swallowed. "Would you spend tonight," She shut her eyes tightly, "with me?"

Sasuke watched her cheeks heat up and smirked. He walked past her and made his way to the bed. Sakura, feeling the wind brush by her as he walked past, opened her eyes to look at him.

"I-I didn't mean it like _that_," Sakura said, hoping he wasn't going to take off his pants. "I-I just—"

"Sakura."

Sasuke had already slipped under the sheets and was looking at her expectantly. Her blush deepened.

"Come to bed."

She let out a breath she didn't even realize she had been holding.

"H-Hai."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Haruno Sakura was delightfully happy. She snuggled closer to the warmer part of the bed and sighed. Her arms were wrapped around her pillows while her legs were entangled in the sheets. She inhaled a delectable scent. Sasuke's scent. It was the aroma that overtook the whole house. A smell she couldn't get away from. A smell she didn't _want _to get away from. Yes. She was happy.

That is, until her pillows tried to move. Her brow wrinkled and she pulled them closer. She wanted to keep holding them. Why would they try to escape her? They stopped moving. She smiled and pressed her cheek into the soft yet firm material. Happiness sunk further into her heart. All was right with the world.

Nuzzling the pillow, Sakura slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that she wasn't holding onto pillows. This was much too firm for pillows. The second thing she noticed was the eight-pack beneath her fingers. That was _definitely_ not her pillow.

Sakura blinked. She turned her gaze upward to look at the sleeping face of Uchiha Sasuke. It all came rushing back. His apology. Her request. Their sleeping together. Sakura felt a blush creep on her cheeks.

Should she move? Would he be angry if he woke up and found her so close to him? One by one, she pried her fingers off of his chest. She lifted her palm slowly and drew her hand away. She laid her hand on her hip, but felt something there. She looked down to find Sasuke's arm around her waist. Her face heated up.

While she was increasingly happy with the situation at hand, she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. She had asked Sasuke to spend the night with her. Why, exactly? Sakura shook her head. She wasn't sure herself. All she knew was that when he was there, she felt better. Plus, Tsunade would probably praise her for getting the Uchiha in bed. She did, after all, still need to seduce him into loving her.

So Sakura took a deep breath and started to slip out of bed.

She was happy enough as it was with sleeping next to the Uchiha. She didn't want to push it. She slowly but surely slid out of his arms, making sure not to jostle him around. She didn't want to wake him…

She smirked.

Not yet, at least.

No, Sakura had a plan she wasn't afraid to use at this point. She made her way to the edge of the bed before swinging her legs over it. She stood and stretched. She looked at his peaceful sleeping form.

_Now _it was time for the Uchiha to open his eyes. She "carefully" opened up her dresser, making sure the drawer squeaked ever so slightly as she did so. She didn't turn around. She raised her nightgown over her head and let it fall to the floor in a heap.

It was only then that she turned around. But the damn Uchiha was still asleep. But no, his eyes were still closed. She was shocked. She wasn't putting on this show for nothing!

Little did _she _know, she was already trapped in his genjutsu. The sharingan had been wildly spinning the moment she woke up. She was under the impression that he was asleep. But no, while her eyes saw him asleep, he was actually wide awake and watching her _very_ carefully.

He had watched her slink off her nightgown with mild amusement, and despite her making sure her breasts were covered, he got an eyeful. He had to admit, she had definitely developed over the years. What used to be flat and nonexistent, were now voluptuous breasts he was ready to sink his teeth into. What had once been weak and feeble limbs and abs were now muscular weapons ready to attack whenever Sakura so desired.

So as Sakura rolled her eyes and threw on clothing, Sasuke looked on with a smirk on his face. He'd eventually get to watch her do this without having to do so in secret, but for now…

She walked out of the main bedroom, turning only to close the doors. She paused. Sakura seemed exasperated for some reason, but her demeanor shouted content. A small smile spread on her face.

"Arigatou, Sasuke-kun," she whispered.

And with that, she disappeared from his sight.

…For now, he was happy.

* * *

"You slept with him," Ino said, watching Sakura gouge out some poor kid's appendix. "You totally did."

Sakura rolled her eyes and held out her hand for a clamp. Haruhi, one of the boys she had once teased mercilessly, handed it to her without a second thought.

When Sakura had gotten changed that morning, she left immediately for the hospital. She walked straight into an appendectomy without any questions. So there she was, looking at this kids bleeding guts and Ino was asking her about her sex life. She had already done most of the grunt work for the past three hours and all that was left was to clean up.

Sakura sweat dropped. It wouldn't be Ino if they didn't share their secrets over a surgery.

"I slept with him," Sakura said slowly, making her way further into the child's body. "But we didn't have sex."

Ino pouted. If she wasn't able to have sex with Sai, then she was hoping Sakura was at least banging the Uchiha already for her sake. Really though. Her sex life had taken a sudden turn in the _opposite _direction. Right when Sai had finally gotten the hang of allowing himself to show emotion while he had his orgasm…It just felt like recently the rug had been ripped out from under her and the relationship she was sailing was headed for shore.

"You're kidding me," Ino said, sucking the excess blood away, "You had the Uchiha in bed, and you _didn't _fuck his brains out?" Ino frowned. "Maybe Sai's right. Maybe Sasuke doesn't have a dick."

Sakura's temple throbbed. "Mou, Ino…"

She stopped herself. Maybe Sasuke _was _dickless. Sakura had been working hard to get his attention. But maybe she wasn't working hard enough? She thought back to what Tsunade had said about not cooking Sasuke food. That rule had gone out the window. It wasn't like she had cooked for _just _him. It was for her friends. And Hinata helped too.

"I don't get it," Sakura hummed. "I slipped my bra in his laundry, I strut around Konoha wearing the Uchiha symbol, I 'play doctor' with him after Naruto kicks his ass," Ino gave her a look, "I sleep with him but I don't get _any _response." She sighed. "Do I really have no sex appeal?"

"I feel you," Ino agreed. "It's like no matter what I wear—or _don't _wear—Sai won't touch me."

"I know!" Sakura growled angrily. "This morning, I changed in front of him—_loudly,_ mind you—but the bastard didn't even wake up! I was practically naked!"

"I _was _naked this morning," Ino snarled, pressing a towel to take away some of the bleeding. "I woke up early and everything to make him breakfast. I put two omelets on my breasts, ketchup on my stomach in a heart and in my vagina was a rice ball—"

Sakura nearly slipped. She stared at Ino. Now _that _was dedication. Maybe she could use that tactic on Sasuke…

"Did Sai cave?" Sakura asked. "I mean, he must have caved."

"He walked in the kitchen, took _one _look at me lying on the table, and then _left _the house!" Ino screamed, alarming Haruhi so much that he took away the scalpel she had been holding it.

"Ugh!" Sakura snarled.

She was well aware of what Sai was up to, but it still frustrated her. In her opinion, Sai and Sasuke just needed a good slapping to knock some sense into them.

"I mean," Ino sniffled, "I was naked with food on me. What guy doesn't like that?"

"I-I know I would," Haruhi offered up.

Sakura smiled at him. "Arigatou, Haruhi-kun." She turned back to Ino and who was frowning.

"See?" she cried. "What is _wrong _with us, Sakura?"

"I don't know," Sakura replied. "Being in love with socially slow men is going to be the death of us." She looked at Ino. "Sai hasn't given any clues of what's been going on?"

"No. None."

Ino's answer was short. But those two words held a world of pain. While Sai's way of approaching things with Ino wasn't the best, Sakura knew that all of this hurt would be well worth it in the end. Ino just had to wait out a week.

The only problem was, Sakura didn't know if she could keep her mouth shut for that long.

"When are you going to follow him?" Ino asked quietly.

Sakura bit her lower lip as her fingers pushed through veins to get at the appendix. Right. She had promised Ino she'd find out what was going on, but she couldn't ruin the surprise. Sai would never forgive her.

And that would have ruined Sasuke's trust.

"Sasuke's already done that," Sakura confessed truthfully.

Ino's eyes narrowed in surprise. "Sasuke?" She looked at Sakura. "Why would Sasuke trail Sai?"

Sakura laughed nervously. "Ah." She cut away at the kid's skin. "When the boys went to go find Sai for dinner last night, they accidentally snuck up on him."

Ino's eyes widened and she leaned over the knocked out child. "Honto ni?"

"H-Hai," Sakura continued anxiously, holding up her scalpel. "A-Ano…"

"Then what happened?" Ino asked excitedly, taking the blade away from her friend. "Tell me, tell me!"

Sakura sighed. "W-Well, Sasuke thinks there's nothing to worry about." Which was true "In fact, he told me…"

The pink haired kunoichi swallowed. Lie. She had to _lie_.

"He told you…?" Ino encouraged her.

"That Sai is having a guy problem," Sakura said, nodding slowly.

Ino blinked. "A guy problem."

Sakura sweat dropped. "H-Hai. A guy problem."

Ino pursed her lips. "What _kind _of guy problem?" She folded her arms. "Like is there something wrong with his cock?"

Sakura thought for a moment. She could tell Ino some of the truth.

"W-Well," Sakura stuttered. "He stopped sleeping with you because he doesn't want you to think he's only with you because of the sex."

Ino's eyes widened. "Oh…" Realization flicked across her face. "Oh!" She let out a laugh. "Is that all?"

Sakura smiled. She didn't answer. Ino sighed in relief and shook her head.

"I feel so stupid," she said, her eyes getting teary. "I should've known…" She shook her head. "Let's close this kid up and relax."

Sakura couldn't help but feel a little envious of Ino in that moment. After all, she knew she was loved. Sakura, however, did not. She frowned. She'd just have to try harder with Sasuke. She'd make him fall in love with her, no matter what.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke sat at his desk in the police station. His feet were growing numb from staying still for so long and his head was hung low. As he let out a sigh, he shook his head.

He had spent the majority of the morning trying to suppress his urges for Sakura by working at the police station. When massive amounts of paperwork wouldn't do it for him, he went further and dug out old police reports. A few hours of that and he was left exhausted.

"You seem relaxed."

Sasuke didn't bother raising his head. He sensed him coming for a few minutes now. "Yo. Kakashi."

"What's all this I hear about you asking Sakura to rebuild the Uchiha clan with you?" his teacher asked, sitting down on his desk. "You really that desperate to achieve your second goal?"

Sasuke eyed Kakashi. He sat up and stretched his arms. "It's none of your concern."

Kakashi sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Sasuke closed his eyes, thinking the subject was dropped. "She did reject you after all."

His temple throbbed. Idiots. The whole lot of them.

"But my question to you is, why now?" Kakashi asked. "It's been five years since you returned to Konoha. You could've broke it to her gently or actually gone out with her on a date or two." Kakashi narrowed his eye. "What are you planning?"

Sasuke opened his eyes and stared at Kakashi. "It's none of your concern."

Kakashi kept his gaze. "It's my concern when it comes to my students." His eye darkened. "You already broke her heart enough by leaving. What's with this treatment? I saw how you two were at dinner last night."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "She was angry about something."

"Probably the lack of love on your end," Kakashi retorted. "I don't know much about love, but I do know about fighting." He glanced at the Uchiha. "And this is one battle you are _losing_."

Sasuke turned his head away sharply. Whatever. It wasn't like Kakashi had any good advice to give.

"How did you ask her?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke shifted. "I didn't."

"You didn't ask her to help rebuild your clan," Kakashi said slowly.

"No," Sasuke said, "I told her I needed her help."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You told her you needed her to rebuild your clan." Sasuke felt like the chair beneath him was sinking in. "And you thought that was the best way to approach the situation." Kakashi laughed. "Are you out of your mind?"

Sasuke paled. So maybe his cleverness in war didn't apply to handling women.

"Is she the only one?" Kakashi asked, "Or are there others you told to rebuild your clan?"

"Of course she's the only one," Sasuke said, shocked.

"And does she know that?" Kakashi pressed.

Sasuke didn't answer him. He had assumed she would know that she was the only one. It'd be a dishonor to the Uchiha name if he had even thought of a harem. Granted, it'd get the job done a lot faster, but no, Sasuke couldn't imagine anyone else becoming the mother of the Uchiha clan.

"Did you tell her that?" Kakashi dug further. "Because to anyone looking from the outside in, you were just friends and then suddenly you told her to rebuild your clan." He shook his head. "Not good, Sasuke."

Sasuke sighed and stood up from his chair. It was about time to stretch his legs. He had half a mind to throw Kakashi out.

"Look," Kakashi sighed, wary of the growing anger the Uchiha was emanating, "All I'm saying is, you need to talk to her. She's not going to accept you until you tell her your feelings."

Sasuke wanted to vomit. Emotions. Feelings. _Love_.

"Disgusting," he muttered.

Kakashi's eye widened. "W-What did you say?"

Sasuke shot his gaze to meet with his white haired teacher. He sneered.

"Love," he spat, "Is what drove me to avenge my family's death. Love is what made me betray the village. _Love_—"

Sasuke clenched his fists. He let hatred sink into his eyes. Kakashi slid off of the desk and was standing, ready to defend himself if necessary.

"Love," he continued, breathing jaggedly, "Is _disgusting_."

Kakashi lowered his arms. His face relaxed. So that's what it was.

"And you," Kakashi said in return, "You think Sakura's love for you is disgusting?"

Sasuke looked to the ground. "It makes her weak."

Kakashi scratched his chin. "Love isn't a weakness."

"It makes her vulnerable," he retorted.

Kakashi folded his arms and leaned back against the desk. He had a feeling he could talk back until his face turned blue, but Sasuke would not listen. He was too far-gone in his fear and pain to be dragged out to the light. No, this was a job for Sakura.

"So you really want Sakura to rebuild your clan when you're incapable of love," Kakashi stated.

Sasuke didn't answer.

"You're determined, I'll give you that much," Kakashi said, rubbing his neck. "But if you keep this up, she'll never be with you." He clutched the desk beneath him. "She might love you, but she needs it in return."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I think it's about time for you to leave."

Kakashi nodded. He walked past Sasuke and swung open the double doors. He glanced over his shoulder and held up a hand.

"Oh, and Sasuke," Kakashi said lightly, "I think it's about time for you to grow a pair."

* * *

"Sakura," Ino sighed, sinking further into the bath. "This was such a _great _idea."

Sakura chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. When Ino said she wanted to relax, the first thought in Sakura's head was to go to the local bathhouse. She let out a deep breath and leaned back against the wall. As much as this was for Ino, Sakura knew she needed it too. She had to take a chill pill herself once in a while.

Sakura dunked her head under the water and stayed there for a moment. The liquid rushed over her pink hair and flooded her ears. Nothingness. She came to the surface and flipped her hair back.

"So what do you think made Sai stop having sex with me?" Ino asked, contemplatively. "A man doesn't just stop having sex with you randomly. There has to be a reason, ne?"

Sakura tapped the side of her head to get the water out of her ears. "Men are stupid. Who knows?"

Ino swam toward the side of the bath and clung to the wall. "But how'd he get the idea?"

Sakura thought for a moment. Sasuke did say that Sai was going to propose by the end of the week. She was sure Ino would get her answer then. Maybe even sooner, if the blonde played her cards right.

"You don't think he..."

Ino trailed off. She looked to Sakura who, in turn, narrowed her eyes. What was her best friend thinking?

"You don't think he, _what_, Ino?" Sakura asked steadily._  
_

Ino swallowed. "N-Nan demo nai."

Sakura made her way over to the blonde haired, blue eyed kunoichi. There was something she wasn't telling her and Sakura intended to find out. She slid right up next to the woman's petite body and leaned in to peer closely at her.

"What is it, Ino?" Sakura hissed.

"M-Mou," Ino stammered, scratching her cheek nervously. "You don't think he..._somehow_..."

"Hai?" Sakura pressed, her breasts against Ino's shoulder.

"_Possibly_..."

"Hn?"

"Could have..." Ino swallowed. She was sweating bullets now. "Heard how Sasuke treated you and decided to go to the extreme end of things, do you?"

Sakura backed off. She watched as the steam rose from the surface of the bath and disappeared as it rose. It was a far fetched idea. But Sakura had to agree with her. Sai was planning on proposing and maybe, after hearing about Sasuke's failed attempt, decided that he needed to stop having sex or else Ino would reject him too. Sakura swallowed. Well, that was embarrassing to think about.

"W-What am I saying?" Ino laughed awkwardly, patting Sakura on the back. "That was a stupid thought."

Sakura pouted. It wasn't a stupid thought. In fact, it made perfect sense. She glanced at Ino.

"It sounds reasonable," she replied. "I mean, everyone in town knows he sees me as the future clan mother." Sakura sighed and shook her head. "I don't think it's so far off based as you think, Ino."

Ino smiled sadly. "Hey, you've got three months to figure it out."

Sakura swallowed. "And if he doesn't fall for me..." She felt her heart pound nervously. "What do I do?"

"He'll fall for you," Ino assured her.

Sakura bit her lip. As much as she wanted to think positively, she needed to think of a backup plan. She wasn't going to enter into a loveless marriage. She had a duty to her village, but she also had a duty to her heart.

"Sakura," Ino said slowly, "What are you thinking?"

Naruto would give her the order in just three months. She had to figure out an escape plan. She narrowed her eyes. She didn't want to leave the village. She couldn't do that. Her friends...her family...No. That was impossible. Fleeing was futile. She'd rather die than leave.

And then it crossed her mind. Her last resort.

"Ino," Sakura replied, feeling her eyes well up. "I need you to do something for me, in case I can't make Sasuke fall for me."

Ino felt her stomach swoop low. "Sakura, what're you planning?"

Sakura closed her eyes. If she couldn't get out of a loveless marriage...if she couldn't make Sasuke fall for her...then this was her only option.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke grimaced as he felt the cracking of his skin. He had practiced his fire jutsus for the majority of the afternoon. His feet were on top of the lake that belonged to the Uchiha clan. Sweat trailed down his forehead and he ripped off his grey shirt, throwing it back to the dock.

He sneered. That _damn _Kakashi. How _dare_ he?

Sasuke formed a seal with his hands, pressing his forefingers together and clamping his hands close. He pressed them to his lips and allowed fire to erupt from deep within. The flames dissipated over the lake.

Love. Love was a terrible thing. It was what drove him to the darkest depths of the earth to track Itachi. It was what drove him to try to destroy Konoha. Love made him try to kill Naruto and Sakura on several occasions. Love made him do terrible things to anyone and everything that stood in his path. Love, to Sasuke, was evil.

Sasuke ran his hand through his black locks. Kakashi had a point though. Sakura needed love. That was why she rejected him in the first place. Sasuke growled. He _needed _Sakura to be the mother of his clan.

Not only did he trust her, but she was one of the Sannin. If he reproduced with her, no one would _dare _touch his clan for generations. It would be plenty of time to build the clan back up and have it stable enough to stand on its own when he died.

Not only this, but with her reigning over the Konoha hospital and him running the police force, their children would be able to continue to have positions of power in the village. He would teach them everything he knew about fighting and she would show them how to heal. Their children would be a force to reckon with.

He whipped out his chokuto from his belt. He moved his feet to first position, sliding his legs into a back stance. He readied himself to thrust.

Haruno Sakura's skill was well known throughout the five great shinobi countries. Her chakra control, her mastery of Tsunade's legendary Byakugō no In, and her phenomenal skills on and off the battle made her a prime candidate for Sasuke. No other kunoichi would do. He needed her by his side.

_Swipe._

Love. Ch.

_Jab._

If that's all it took for her to rebuild his clan, then he'd just say it the next time he saw her. It wasn't so hard.

_Thrust_

So what if he hadn't said it to anyone since he was eight years old? It didn't matter how much time passed by. One word wouldn't be that hard to say.

"Mou, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke lost his concentration and wound up with his whole body soaking wet. He took a deep breath. The giggles of a woman met his ear and his eyebrow twitched. He glanced back toward the dock.

There, wearing his mother's old fighting outfit, was Haruno Sakura. He drew himself up out of the water and walked toward the dock. This wouldn't be so hard. One word. That's it.

"Sakura," Sasuke said coolly, coming to a stop in front of her as he leaped onto the dock beside her.

"Hold still please," she said patiently, pressing her fingers to his face before he could protest.

He looked at her like she was crazy. And she probably was. No one else would ever dare to get in his face like that. But then felt a cooling sensation on his burn marks. He glanced down at her hand, noticing she was holding gauze.

His eyes widened.

"I saw you practicing your fire jutsus out here," Sakura said kindly, "So I figured you might need my assistance."

Sasuke stared down at her. Did she even realize what she was doing to him? The gentle smile on her face near his lips signaled that she didn't. She had no clue what she was doing.

"I got home a little while ago," she explained calmly, screwing the cap back on the gauze and pocketing it. She whipped out three band-aids and started to place them on his face. "I told Ino why Sai's acting weird." She looked to him quickly. "Ah, but I didn't tell her about his proposal." She winked and pressed her index finger to her lips. "That's still a secret."

Sasuke swallowed. He could say it. He had no problem saying it to her.

"Sakura," he started again. "A.."

"Hm?" she hummed lightly, her breath against his ear.

Sasuke closed his eyes. He just needed to focus. It was just one word. One word, and she'd be his. He knew what was at stake.

"A..."

_Damn it_, he thought angrily. _Just get it out. Love is useless. You don't have to mean it to say it!_

But as he opened his eyes to look down into her jade orbs, he couldn't do it. Sasuke had made a lot of mistakes in the past, but this was one he couldn't go through with. He couldn't say it. Not when he didn't mean it.

"Sakura," he started again. "Arigatou."

It was then that the smile on her face spread to her eyes, and she tilted her head in happiness. Sasuke felt warmth spread inside of his chest and his gaze softened.

"Dōitashimashite," she said in response.

He noticed her palm was still against his cheek. He couldn't help but cherish the silkiness of it. Those delicate hands of hers that provided so much strength. No wonder she wore gloves in battle. She couldn't afford to harm such a powerful, healing tool.

"Ah," Sakura said slowly, "I hope you don't mind. I'm making stuffed tomatoes tonight...they're still your favorite food?"

Sasuke clenched his jaw. She still thought so much about him. Even with that strong exterior, she was still a kindhearted woman.

"Ah," he responded.

She nodded and let go of his face. "It'll be done in a little, so come inside when you're finished." She grinned cheekily at him. "Don't mess up the gauze, or else I'll have to reapply it."

As she walked off the dock and back to the manor, Sasuke had half a mind to wipe away the gauze, just so she would have to touch his face again.

* * *

"Ah," Sakura sighed, bowing in front of the butsudan, "Moshi moshi!"

The photos didn't say anything in return. Sakura released herself from her bow and laid out the rice balls she had brought. She placed one in front of each frame and clapped her hands twice.

"I'm making dinner for Sasuke now," Sakura explained, brushing her hair behind her ear. "And I made a few extra rice balls for you all." She chuckled. "I hope you'll enjoy!"

Her smiled faded as she looked to Mikoto. "Gomen." She pressed her nose to the floor. "I thought of something terrible today." Her head raised as she came back to a sitting position. The tears in her eyes started to fall. "I love your son, Mikot-san." She took a deep breath. "But I'm trapped. I have three months to make him love me, and then I will have to enter a loveless marriage with him." She shook her head and covered her mouth in an attempt to suppress the sobs. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for him in this world."

She sniffled and wiped away the tears. "But this..." She closed her eyes. "This is something I can't do." Her brow furrowed and she placed her hands over her stomach. "I will not bring a loveless child into this world." She swallowed. "I won't let Sasuke bear that burden."

Sakura opened her eyes and burned incense. "Onegaishimasu, Mikoto-san..." She bent her head down and let the tears flow. "Watashi o tasukete..." She clenched her fists. "Help me."

Sakura sobbed, letting her body fall to the floor in a heap of distress. She couldn't do this alone. She couldn't try to fool herself into believing that Sasuke would just suddenly love her. But she would try. She would try so hard to make him love her. No matter what she had to do. She would get him to love her, or die trying.

"I can't do this, Mikoto-san," she pleaded, her trembling fingers feebly covering her face. "This pain...The world you left, is so different." She gripped her pink hair tightly. "I know that time is precious...and I know I shouldn't take this time for granted...demo..." She pressed her wrist to her eyes. "I have tried for _years _to show him my love. How can I make him fall for me now?"

Sakura took a deep breath and exhaled. She needed to calm down. The baked tomatoes were almost done and Sasuke would be inside shortly. She needed to wash her face. She needed to pull herself together.

She shakily stood, bowing once before she left. As she passed through the opening, she narrowed her eyes. Was it just her imagination or did she feel a presence?

"Who's there?" Sakura asked tensely, "Show yourself."

Just as suddenly as she felt the energy, it left. Sakura exhaled. Maybe she was just sensing Sasuke's chakra from outside. Sakura pressed her fingers against the wall as she walked down the hall, oblivious to the dark haired Uchiha watching her the whole time.

* * *

Sasuke stepped out of the shower, still feeling uncomfortable from dinner. After he had witnessed Sakura's plea with his mother, he decided it best to let her clean herself up before he showed up for dinner. Eating with her in silence as she blabbered cheerfully about her hospital duties and her friendship with Ino made him sick. Even as delicious as the dinner she had made was, he could barely get three bites down.

He knew Sakura suffered. He knew her love for him was torturing the shit out of her. He knew it. But still, he was so selfish. She was his, whether she fought it or not. It was just as Kakashi had said, though. Sasuke wrapped a towel around his hips and walked out of the bathroom. If he didn't love her, she wouldn't help him rebuild her clan.

Sakura was trying so hard for his sake. The least he could do...

Sasuke shook the thought away. No. He couldn't try loving her. He couldn't. Love made him do idiotic things. Love made _her _do idiotic things.

Sasuke made his way down the hall, and peeked through the main bedroom doors. He would go change in his room and then return to sleep with her...

Her bed was empty.

...or not.

He pushed the door open further. The room was still and quiet. Sasuke frowned. Perhaps he'd do a perimeter check to see if she was walking around the premises. He glanced down at his naked form. Once he changed into clothes, of course.

He left the main bedroom, hurrying as he made his way to his room. He pushed open the door and rummaged through his dresser. He quickly threw on a pair of pants and turned.

He smirked.

He supposed he didn't have to do his midnight stroll around the Uchiha grounds after all. There, sleeping in his bed, was Haruno Sakura. Her pink hair waved out over his pillow and her fingers clutched his purple sheets.

Sasuke sat down next to her on the bed and stroked her cheek. Maybe he could try. Maybe...he leaned down close to her face...Maybe...Sasuke turned off the light...

Maybe, _just _maybe, he was already in love with her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Haruno Sakura looked up at Sasuke's bedroom ceiling, feeling a mixture of emotions. The first of which was happy. She had woken up that morning to find the other side of the bed messed up and a few of Sasuke's black hairs left on the pillows. It was still warm long after he had left her side which meant she could snuggle up close to it and inhale his extremely strong scent. The second was frustration. She had crept into his bed the previous night with the intention of making him _want _her.

She threw back the sheets that were covering her body and frowned at the outfit she was wearing. It was one of Mikoto's little black numbers that she had undoubtedly used to seduce her husband when she was alive. The silky material only came down to just below her ass. She had purposely worn no underwear so when she rubbed her body up against the Uchiha, he'd _feel _her.

But no. Sakura fell asleep while he was in the shower. The pink haired kunoichi sweat dropped. How the hell was she supposed to seduce him when she fell asleep on the job?

Sakura hadn't had much experience with seduction missions. How was she supposed to know what to do in situations like these?

She blinked. That was it. Kurenai, despite being a mother, must have remembered her seduction missions. Sakura stretched her arms out and twisted her away out of the sheets. Sakura needed help. As much as she loved Tsunade and Ino, there was something about asking an expert in this area that was a little better.

Sakura yawned and looked at the alarm clock on the dresser. She raised her eyebrows. That was a first. She had never slept in so late before. She scratched the back of her head and hopped out of bed.

She hurried to the kitchen to eat something. With each step she took, a delicious smell grew stronger and stronger. Sakura frowned. Sasuke must have been at the police station by now. He couldn't have been making something for her to eat...

She walked through the entrance way and stepped inside the kitchen. Sasuke had left, but he had made her breakfast. An omelet with rice balls on the side were waiting for her. She blinked. Sure, Sasuke had made her breakfast a few times during the week, but he had never bothered when he had to leave.

She plopped down in front of the plate and frowned. This wasn't like Sasuke. This _really _wasn't like Sasuke.

She picked up her chopsticks and dug in. The first bite of fluffy egg slid down her throat with ease. She smiled. It was still warm. He must have left not too long ago.

It was when Sakura was on her third bite that she heard a knocking at the door. Swallowing, Sakura pulled her chair back and walked toward the front door. She let out another yawn as she pulled the door back.

"O-Ohayo," Sakura grumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"S-Sakura-chan!" Hinata exclaimed, her face turning red as she looked at what the pink haired kunoichi was wearing. "Ah, a-ano...I hope this isn't a bad time."

Sakura stared at her. She looked down at what she was wearing and shook her head. She knew she should've changed...

"You're fine, Hinata," Sakura replied. "Would you like to come inside?"

"O-Oh, I don't want to disturb you," Hinata said, blushing deeply and trying to look elsewhere.

Sakura laughed and rolled her eyes. "Trust me, you're not disturbing. Come inside and I'll get changed, okay?"

Hinata agreed as she stepped inside. She took off her shoes and waited in the foyer while Sakura rushed back to her room to get changed. As she threw on Mikoto's ninja outfit, she couldn't help but wonder why the Uzumaki was there. They were close, and of course she was welcome over at any time, but there had to have been a reason for the random visit.

She walked back down the hall and appeared in front of Hinata. "Better?"

Hinata chuckled. "Much."

Sakura winked and walked up to her friend. "What can I do for you?"

Hinata rubbed her arm awkwardly. "M-Mou, I know you're busy at the hospital—"

Sakura held up a hand to stop her. "What do you need, Hinata?"

Hinata smiled softly and nodded. She could rely on Sakura for anything. No wonder her and Naruto were so close.

"Would you walk with me?" Hinata asked, shuffling her shoes back on.

"Of course," Sakura said, placing her shoes on her feet.

They walked out of the Uchiha household and made their way through the empty complex. Sakura noticed Hinata shudder. Yes, walking through the Uchiha compound was a ghostly experience. When Sakura had gone to their grounds, she would bring flowers every day out of respect for the dead.

When the sun would set, it was quite a sight to behold. Orange, purple, blue and pink streaks would scatter across the sky as the red sun slipped downward. The colors would clash together, tainting the compound with ar eddish brown color. Hinata was lucky they weren't walking through the compound at sunset, the red reflection would remind her of the blood that was once spilled there.

"Naruto-kun was urgently called by Sasuke-kun early this morning," Hinata explained.

Sakura's brow furrowed. "Called by Sasuke?"

They continued walking down the empty street. It was so quiet, yet she could hear the screams of her childhood friend grow louder with each step she took.

He still haunted her.

Yet she went onward with her journey, her heels clacking along, making a steady beat. Her green eyes wandered, looking at all the empty shops and houses—places where people used to laugh and smile.

Where life used to be.

"Hai," Hinata explained as they passed through the gates. "He..." She looked for the right words. "He took a very _unwilling _Naruto."

Sakura gaped at her. "He dragged him out of bed?"

Hinata sweat dropped. She had tried to put it delicately.

"H-Hai..." Hinata stammered.

"So what do you need me for?" Sakura asked. "Have they beat each other to a pulp yet?"

Hinata shook her head. "Because Naruto's missing, I need someone to help prepare for the Konoha festival with me." She blushed. "It's the Hokage's duty, demo..."

Sakura sighed. Her boys. Always causing trouble. Sakura nodded and folded her arms.

"Where do we start?"

* * *

"What the _hell _is your problem?" Naruto growled, sitting down on team seven's old training ground stubbornly while Kakashi and Sai stood behind him.

Sasuke, however, was pacing. And pacing was something he _never _did. When he had woken that morning with his arms around Sakura, he knew he was in trouble. He knew he was long gone. The very thing he was afraid of happening, had already happened.

"I need your help," he said clearly, his voice cutting through the morning dew like a blade.

Naruto blinked. Sai raised his eyebrows. Kakashi nearly fell down. The _great _Uchiha...was asking for help?

Naruto was up in a flash and had a kunai at Sasuke's throat. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with Sasuke-teme?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He pushed the blade away and scoffed. "Come off it, dobe."

"Well," Sai said slowly, a smile plastered on his face, "What do you need from us, traitor?"

Sasuke bit his tongue. He really should have picked his comrades better. He should have thought things through better. But these people were reliable. Naruto had Hinata, and was a valuable source of information when it came to getting a woman to become your wife. Sai, on the other hand, was getting ready to propose to Ino, a kunoichi he had been with for three years. And as for Kakashi...well, Sasuke had to secretly agree with him: it _was _time for him to grow a pair.

"Sakura," Sasuke said seriously. "She's..."

Kakashi's eye widened. Oho. What a development! Was the Uchiha actually going to admit his feelings?

"...annoying."

Kakashi sweat dropped. Maybe he had been hoping for too much.

"Annoying," Naruto repeated, arms folded and his eyes narrow. "That's what you called us out here for."

Sasuke sighed. Couldn't they see the issue? Was he going to have to spell it out for them?

"She's making me..." Sasuke started, trailing off. He fought the blush creeping on his face. He could say it. "...She's making me..._feel_."

Kakashi and Naruto didn't know what to say. The stone cold bastard actually had _feelings_. They glanced toward Sai. If anyone could relate, it was him. The only thing was, would he say something profound? Or something profoundly stupid?

"She makes you feel," Sai said.

Sasuke turned his icy gaze to the emotionless Sai. Maybe he could understand what he was going through.

"When I first started loving Ino," Sai continued, the fake smile having slid off of his face and replaced with a genuine one, "I didn't know what to do." He held up a finger to explain. "I read books on how to love a woman. They explained that in order to show it, I needed to have coitus with her and 'allow her to suck my cock.'" Sasuke, Kakashi and Naruto nearly fell to the ground. "And after the initial failures concerning that, she helped me process my emotions." He nodded. "For example, every time I would feel my loins throb, she would insist that it is her duty and pleasure to relieve me of it."

Sasuke clenched his jaw. And _these_ were the people who were going to help him work through this problem?

Sai tilted his head in curiosity. "Have you experienced any throbbing in your loins, Sasuke-san?"

To prevent the Uchiha from killing Sai, Kakashi stepped forward. "I think what he means, Sasuke," the deathly glare turned on his sensei, "Is that perhaps you need to talk with Sakura about these feelings."

Sai nodded and took out a book he had in his back pocket. "According to this erotic novel, communication is very important when expressing needs." He flipped through the pages until he reached the very center. "Ah, hai. Here," he walked over to Sasuke who had his fists shaking at his sides, "When experiencing sex, one must always make sure to have a safe word—" He noticed Sasuke's temple throbbing. "G-Gomen. I meant down here," he pointed to the text at the bottom of the page, "Communicating your feelings to your significant other is very important. You need to make sure that the other party involved is well aware of your desires and needs before proceeding to sexual intercourse—"

Sasuke slammed his fist into the idiot's head. His eyebrow twitched. Well, that was no help. He looked to Kakashi and Naruto for any advice. The dobe was scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"I know Hinata tells me she loves me every time she sees me," Naruto offered up. "Maybe you should try that?"

Kakashi chortled. "Naruto, I don't think Sasuke can get one, 'aishiteru' out let alone one every time he sees her."

Naruto nodded while Sasuke turned his face away. He didn't need them seeing the slight blush on his cheeks.

"Saying it isn't the problem," Sasuke growled.

Kakashi was amused. "Then what is?"

"The feelings," Sasuke said. "How do I get rid of them?"

Naruto and Kakashi exchanged glances. Sai, however, was still rubbing his head. At least Sasuke was acknowledging that he had feelings at this point.

"Well," Kakashi drawled. "What kind of feelings are we talking about?"

Sasuke paled. "Just feelings."

"It's _love_," Naruto snickered. "Teme's in love!"

"Urusai, _baka_," Sasuke bit out.

Damn. Was he dealing with preschoolers here or shinobi? Fuck it.

"My heart," Sasuke snarled, "It _hurts_." He narrowed his eyes. This was killing him. "She...she was crying yesterday. And I..." He swallowed. "I need to get rid of them. These...feelings."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. Now this _was _a development.

Naruto, on the other hand, was pissed. "She's loved you for years, teme." He glared up at the Uchiha. "And you're asking her to rebuild your clan. It's about damn time you started acknowledging your feelings." Naruto thrust a thumb toward his own heart. "This is one bond you are _not _going to break, teme. No matter _how _hard you try."

Sasuke looked to the ground. "Then..." He stomped on every last shred of pride he had left at that point. "How do I show her?"

Kakashi grinned behind his mask. Quite a development indeed.

Sai, having recovered from his hit, offered up a suggestion. "You could show her how hard your penis gets every time she walks in the room." Sai paused. "That is, assuming you have one."

Sasuke let out a deep exhale. This was going to be a long day. He just knew it.

* * *

"The Hokage wants ramen," Sakura repeated slowly, watching Teuchi's and Ayame's eyes widened. "A whole shit ton of it for the festival."

Hinata was behind her, anxiously waiting for Sakura to finish placing the order for the Konoha festival. They had been all over town for most of the morning and afternoon, and quite frankly, the pair was exhausted. It wasn't a good week until the festival, but the village was getting ready and preparing as much as they could. The amount of work that had to be done required a lot of traveling and chakra spent with transporting from one area to the next as fast as they could. Not to mention all of the lifting and moving heavy objects and checking back in at the hospital every hour on the hour to make sure operations were running smoothly. If surgeries weren't going smoothly, Sakura would have to pop in for a good thirty minutes, expend some more of her chakra and then rush out to help Hinata some more.

Needless to say, the two were ready for some rest and relaxation.

"Hai, hai!" Teuchi exclaimed. "We'll make as much ramen as possible!"

Sakura nodded tiredly. Ayame noticed the slumped shoulders of the Hokage's wife and the medical nin.

"W-Would you like a free sample?" Ayame offered up kindly.

"Hai!" the kunoichi exclaimed exasperatedly.

Hinata and Sakura plopped down on two of their stools and let their heads rest on the counter top. They looked at each other and let out giggles of exhaustion.

"Ne, Sakura-chan," Hinata chuckled. "What are we laughing about?"

"I have no idea," Sakura laughed tiredly. "I'm just so exhausted." She sighed. "I don't think I've been this tired since I had to pull a forty-eight hour shift at the hospital."

"Maybe we spent too much energy trying to get the banners just right," Hinata yawned. "But how can we be so tired?"

"I have no idea, Hinata," Sakura sighed. "There's no way you could have done this on your own. I can't believe Sasuke just dragged Naruto off this morning..."

"I-It must have been important," Hinata said.

Sakura looked at her suspiciously. "Did Sasuke mention anything about it when he forced Naruto out of bed?"

Hinata paled. She didn't want to lie to Sakura...

"N-No," she forced herself to say. It was for a good reason. Sakura didn't need to know that Sasuke woke Naruto up by saying he needed to talk about her. "N-No, he did not."

Sakura nodded and lifted her head from the counter as their ramen was delivered. Sasuke probably just wanted to train. Or maybe he had something urgent at the police station that needed the Hokage's seal of approval. She sighed and scratched her head. Ah, well, it wasn't her business.

She slurped back the noodles and inhaled the broth. Damn, ramen was good when you were dead tired. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. Even sleepy, she knew she had to drop by the hospital again. There was a laparoscopic surgery scheduled for five o'clock that she had to get to. If possible, she'd leave for the hospital an hour before so she could get a nap in and hopefully recharge herself.

"Oi!" the Hokage's voice shouted, "Two ramen for two of the great team seven!"

Sakura's eyebrow twitched.

"Eh?" Naruto asked as he and Saiwalked into the ramen shop, "Eh!? Sakura-chan! Hinata! Doushita no?"

With Naruto clinging all over Hinata and making sure she was all right, the poor Uzumaki bride couldn't answer properly. Sakura, on the other hand, was pissed.

"Naruto," Sakura hissed out. "Why the _hell_did you abandon your Hokage duties?"

Sai, who was standing behind Sakura, watched as Naruto scratch the back of his head. He didn't seem to realize what Sakura was talking about, and frankly, neither did Sai. They had spent the majority of the day going over what to do about Sasuke's feelings.

"Eh?" Naruto asked slowly, "What'd I have to do today?"

"Does _this_," Sakura said as she tossed him a scroll, "Ring a bell?"

Naruto fumbled with the parchment as he ripped it open. His eyes flicked dropped down along with his jaw. It was the list of things to get ready for the festival.

"I totally forgot!" Naruto yelled, hugging Hinata from the back. "Gomen! Honto gomen, Hinata-chan!"

"D-Daijoubu," Hinata assured him with a yawn. "We got most of it done. All that's left is the..." She yawned again and patted her hand over her open mouth daintily. "...bakery list that needs to be submitted."

Naruto felt guilt overcome his senses. He glanced between Sakura and Hinata nervously. How was he supposed to make up for such a blunder?

"Take Hinata home," Sakura teased, noticing the panic in his blue eyes, "We can't have the Hokage's wife falling asleep in her ramen."

Hinata smiled sleepily at the pink haired kunoichi. "A-Arigatou, Sakura-chan. I'll treat you to the bathhouse tomorrow night, if you're available."

Sakura winked. "I'm holding you to it."

Naruto made sure Hinata's arm was securely wrapped around his shoulder before he started leading her out of Ichiraku Ramen. He waved to Teuchi and encouraged him to give his helping of ramen to Sakura.

Sai and Sakura were finally alone. Sakura leaned on her elbow and raised her eyebrows at the emotionless guy. Noticing her stare, he raised his eyebrows.

"So when are you proposing to Ino?" Sakura asked, snidely. "And don't leave out any details."

Sai felt his cheeks turn red. "Sasuke-san told you."

"Hai." Sakura sighed and ate the rest of the udon in her bowl. "Ino's worried."

Sai looked perplexed. He tilted his head in confusion. "Worried? Whatever for?"

"Because you stopped having _sex _with her, Sai," Sakura said tiredly. "She didn't understand. Luckily, I told her that you just wanted to make sure she knew you didn't see her as a means to an end." She eyed her teammate. "You seriously need to think harder before making a drastic change like that. It can give a woman whiplash."

Sai blinked. Maybe he should have asked the pink haired medic nin for help instead of Shikamaru and Chōji. But all of the books he read said to keep the woman's best friend out of the way for the sake of the relationship. Gossip can end a relationship very quickly.

"She is concerned," Sai stated as his order of ramen was set down in front of him.

"Mhmm," Sakura hummed. "Don't worry though. She's set straight. Just have sex with her tonight—"

"But I can't!" Sai sputtered. "I don't want her to think she's only meant to bear my children!"

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "And where'd you get an idea like that?"

"Sasuke asked you to rebuild his clan," Sai said, "And you rejected him. If I propose to her after not having sex with her, she'll realize she's not just an object to me but an actual person!"

Sakura sweat dropped. So Ino _was _right. Damn.

"Th-Thanks for that, Sai," Sakura stuttered, suddenly depressed.

Suddenly desperate to change the subject, Sakura snapped her fingers.

"So why'd Sasuke drag Naruto out of bed this morning?" Sakura asked, eyeing him. "And don't lie."

Sai had read about the "brother code." He knew what to do in this situation.

"I am not permitted to tell you," he said firmly as Sakura pressed the bowl to her lips to get at the last of the broth. "Sasuke-san and I have penises and therefore we are bound by our sperm to keep each other's secrets to the grave." He folded his arms. "I will not tell you."

Sakura spat out the broth and coughed heavily. If ever there was a question of dedication on Sai's part, it was dismissed with that uncomfortable statement.

"H-Hai," Sakura said, once she could breathe. "Then would you at least tell me where he is?"

Sai smiled brightly. "I believe he and Kakashi went to go greet Temari and Shikamaru."

Oh yeah. Sakura inhaled the rest of her ramen quickly. Temari was moving to Konoha, wasn't she? The couple wasn't engaged yet, but she could predict a proposal in the near future.

"Oh, right," Sakura said, "When are you planning on proposing to Ino?"

"Tomorrow," Sai confirmed. "Tomorrow night, actually. So I can do it before she has to leave for her mission."

Sakura grinned. "Where?"

"Since _Yokohama_ was such a fail for Sasuke-san," Sai said, rubbing salt into her wounds. "I decided to do it by moonlight on her training grounds." He whipped out a book from his back pocket. "It says here that if it rains and we kiss, it'll be even more romantic."

Sakura smiled lazily. "She'll love it no matter what, Sai." She chuckled. "Just make sure you have sex with her after you do it. She's been going crazy."

"She's not the only one," Sai said with wide eyes, "Just this morning she arranged food on her naked body for me to eat off of." He looked at her seriously. "I thought my penis was going to explode from raw desire." He frowned and flipped through his book. "Is that even possible?"

* * *

"Why are we going to see Shikamaru and Temari?" Sasuke asked as he walked the streets of Konoha with his old sensei.

"Because you need to see how a normal couple interacts," Kakashi retorted, hands in pockets. "And it's the nice thing to do." He glanced at Sasuke. "She's new in town, so behave."

"Ch," Sasuke scoffed, as they approached the Nara household. "Don't I always?"

"Yo!" Kakashi called to Shikamaru who had a box in his hands. "How's the move going?"

"Troublesome," Shikamaru bit back, "Temari's been yelling all day." He eyed Sasuke. "Yo."

"Shikamaru!" Temari shouted angrily from inside the house. "Hurry it up!"

Sasuke nodded in return and leaned toward Kakashi to whisper, "And this is a normal couple to you?"

"Sasuke's got a question for you," Kakashi said, shoving the Uchiha in front of Shikamaru.

Sasuke, in turn, glared back at his teacher. Way to throw him to the lions. He grimaced. He wasn't going to ask this damn fool for help. He already asked his teammates for help and they had talked his ear off all morning.

A lot of good it did him. He got the basics: flowers, sweet things to show your affections, physical contact, and making sure not to objectify women. He didn't need a lazy tactician telling him how to show his emotions.

"Hm?" Shikamaru asked, letting the box drop on the grass. "What is it?"

Sasuke turned his head away stubbornly. No way. Huh-uh. He was not going to ask it. Feeling Kakashi's heel dig into his foot, he bit the inside of his cheek. Fuck this shit. He was _not_having it.

"What's going on, Shikamaru?" Temari called. "Are you coming?"

Sasuke clenched his fists. Kakashi wanted him to ask a question? Fine.

"Do you...need help with that?" Sasuke offered.

Kakashi's eye widened. Well, that was something. It wasn't every day you witnessed the Uchiha offering help. Of course, it was just an avoidance tactic, but it was a sight to behold.

Shikamaru nodded. "Ah. I'd like that." He motioned to the cart full of Temari's things. "Pick a box and bring it in." He paused. "Since we're almost done, do you guys want to stay for dinner?"

Sasuke was about to decline when Kakashi politely said, "Hai, onegai!"

Sasuke frowned at him. Seeing the glint in his eye, however, made him realize that maybe Kakashi had something planned for him after all. He did say that Sasuke needed to observe a normal couple. Maybe he'd pick something up from Shikamaru. Even someone like Shikamaru could take care of a woman properly. If there was hope for him, maybe there was hope for Sasuke.

The Uchiha helped himself to a box and made his way into the household. He flipped off his shoes and set down the box in the living room with the others. It was then that he saw Shikamaru and Temari sharing a brief moment of intimacy. Sitting in the kitchen, with two glasses of water, Temari handed one to Shikamaru. He, in turn, smiled gently at her and kissed her cheek.

Sasuke turned his head away. He shouldn't have been watching.

"Now this is good," Kakashi said in his ear, "Watch closely."

Sasuke heard as Kakashi set down his own box and leaned over Sasuke's shoulder to get a better look at the couple. Switching to the sharingan, Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He read her lips as she spoke.

"Aishiteru," she whispered. "I know I'm a bit much to deal with right now..."

Shikamaru placed his hand over her stomach and nodded.

Temari blushed and giggled. "I am pregnant, after all."

Jealousy, unlike anything Sasuke had ever felt in his life, flooded his heart. He wanted to vomit. He was so angry. He wanted that. He requested it of Sakura, but she would not give it to him. Why was it that someone so lazy could have the very thing he wanted? Meanwhile, Sasuke was searching for a way to just get Sakura to agree to rebuild his clan. He tightened his fists. This was too much. He couldn't stand there and watch as someone had the life he so desired. He had to get out of there.

Kakashi, sensing the sudden change in his demeanor backed off and let the Uchiha storm out of the household. He did not follow after him. This was something he had to handle by himself.

Kakashi watched his back. Eventually, he would get what he wanted. Someday, he'd have Sakura by his side forever. But until Sasuke could conquer his own fear of love, that would never happen.

* * *

Haruno Sakura was exhausted. She was just ready for some sleep after performing that laparoscopic surgery. It had been a long enough day. She hadn't even _seen _Sasuke all day, and as much as she hated it, she was starting to get used to seeing his face every day, at least for a little.

She walked into his room, expecting him to be asleep. It was past midnight, after all. But no, Sasuke wasn't there. She frowned and made her way to her room. As she walked through the double doors, she yanked off her shirt and clipped off her bra. She threw the pair in the hamper and slid off her skirt. Even though it was pitch black, she knew her well enough around her room.

She rummaged through her dresser. She was too exhausted. She awkwardly turned her head to to her bed where, through the dark, she could see two red eyes staring at her in the dark.

"A-Ano," Sakura said, wondering how much Sasuke had seen and blushing. "G-Gomen. I didn't realize you were in here so..."

She swallowed nervously. Sasuke was grateful for the cover of night. He had been fast asleep, having had a rather emotionally hectic day, but determined to wait for Sakura to come home. When Sakura had rummaged through her dresser, Sasuke woke up immediately.

"I didn't see anything," Sasuke stated coolly, taking note of her anxious behavior.

"Ah," Sakura said awkwardly. "R-Right."

Sasuke flipped the sheets back for her to crawl in. "Come."

Sakura nodded and fumbled her way over to his side. She slid in and sighed. It really had been a long day.

"How was your day?" Sakura yawned, hugging her pillow tightly.

"...Tiring," Sasuke admitted.

"I heard you spent this morning with Naruto," Sakura said.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. That damn blonde sure could talk—

"Hinata was left with no one to help her with the festival preparations," Sakura explained. "She's the one who told me you dragged Naruto out of bed."

Sasuke swallowed. "Hn. We were busy."

"Guy stuff?" Sakura asked sarcastically.

"Guy stuff," Sasuke confirmed.

"I tried asking Sai about it," Sakura said, her stomach against the silk sheets. "He said something about you two being related through penises or something..."

Sasuke's temple throbbed. Sai was _seriously _socially slow. He must have had a problem. Or several mental ones.

"He wouldn't tell me though," Sakura sighed, looking up at the shirtless Uchiha, her eyes finally adjusting to the dark.

"You were with Hinata," Sasuke said, avoiding her prodding. He sank back in the bed and leaned on his elbow to look at her. "Were you with her all day?"

"Most of it," Sakura replied, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart as Sasuke came closer to her. "I had to help her with the festival preparations in her place and keep an eye on the hospital at the same time." She laughed wearily. "Then after that I had to do a laparoscopic surgery." She watched Sasuke's red eyes slowly fade to black. "...Beautiful."

Sasuke looked at her in shock. "What did you say?"

"Your eyes," she murmured tiredly, raising her hand to his face. "They're...beautiful..."

Sasuke felt his heart tremble. He tried to push the flips in his stomach down. Even as she sighed, looking at him through half-way closed lids, he felt her passionate gaze. Was it too much for him to hope?

"Sakura," he said softly, letting his lips press against her forehead. "Arigatou."

She smiled tiredly up at him before moving closer to him. She nestled herself in his chest and released her breath. She yawned.

"Oyasuminasai," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

Sasuke hesitantly let his hands fall around her. He drew her closer to his heart.

"Oyasuminasai, Sakura..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"So?" Naruto asked casually, dodging Sasuke's punch. "You tell her?"

Sasuke leaped up from Naruto's kick. "What do _you _think?"

Naruto frowned. "Maybe you should try and imitate what Hinata and I do. You've got that sharingan, just copy."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. This idiot was acting like showing emotion was easy. It always came natural to the blonde fool. Sasuke, on the other hand, had always closed off his emotions and came off as a sarcastic icicle of a person. He never really had a chance growing up. After his entire clan had been slaughtered, he kept his feelings to himself. People didn't care. They just looked at him in pity.

But not Naruto. No, he looked at him as his equal. His rival.

"That seems a little gay, doesn't it?" Sai asked, standing next to Konohamaru who was just itching for his chance to fight the Hokage. "Why would Sasuke watch you perform intercourse?"

Naruto looked to Sai in disbelief and Sasuke found his opening. His fist collided with the dobe. As soon as his knuckles brushed against his skin, the clone disappeared in an instant.

"The _hell _Sai?" Naruto asked from the branch above him. "I'm not even talking about sex." Naruto rubbed his chin and swung his legs side to side as they dangled. "I just think it'd be good for the teme to watch how married life is supposed to go."

Sasuke threw shuriken at Naruto who caught them with ease and tossed them back his way. Yeah, right. Sasuke dodged them. Like he was going to put himself through that torture again. He already witnessed Shikamaru and Temari's married life and it just made him envy them. He wanted to come home and look at Sakura's stomach, knowing full well his child was in there.

"No thanks," Sasuke retorted, "Kakashi tried that yesterday."

"Switch with me!" Konohamaru encouraged Sasuke. "I wanna have a go!"

Sasuke did as the younger ninja asked and walked to Sai's side. He sat down in the shade, leaning against an old oak tree. Watching someone else live his dream was torture. He was ready for Sakura to rebuild the clan with him. He wanted it more than anything.

Sai folded his arms. "Tried?"

"It was a complete fail," Sasuke replied, recalling how jealous he got.

"Then perhaps you'd like to see how a true ninja proposes to a woman tonight?" Sai prompted him.

Naruto curiously looked at the former ROOT ninja as Konohamaru got ready. "You're doing it tonight?"

"Mhmm," Sai said cheerfully. "Sexually too." He sighed and smiled. "Sakura-san encouraged me to have coitus with her last night, but I held out."

Sasuke winced. How was it that such a socially slow person could snag the Yamanaka while he couldn't even make a dent with the medic Sannin? Granted, they were sleeping together every night now, which was a step in the right direction, but that was only because of Sakura's nightmares. Or so the Uchiha liked to convince himself.

"Today is the day, comrades," Sai continued. "If you would like to watch, it will be done at team eight's training grounds under the moonlight."

Sasuke clenched his fists. No way was he going. He wasn't going to sit by and watch another successful relationship set sail while his attempt at one was sinking further into the depths of the ocean.

"Ah," Sai said suddenly, "And I need to ask Sakura for help. So she'll be there as well."

Sasuke decided that maybe he'd go after all.

"Need any help setting up?" Konohamaru offered.

"No, no," Sai said, "All I need to woo her is the moon and stars."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows at Sai. Who knew he could be such a romantic?

"How does Sakura play in this?" Sasuke asked casually.

Sai smiled cheerfully. "You'll see."

* * *

Kurenai eyed Sakura with amusement. The woman had no idea that she already had all of the tools she needed in her arsenal. When Sakura had showed up at her home early in the morning, Kurenai had found it quite odd. But when Sakura bowed before her, begging for her help, Kurenai found herself welcoming the medic nin into her humble abode.

"You've come to me for seduction lessons," Kurenai said coyly, her legs crossed daintily. Her foot rotated in slow circles.

"Hai," Sakura replied. "I'm sure you've heard about my dilemma."

Kurenai slowly ran her fingers through her hair and exposed some of her neck. Who hadn't? Uchiha Sasuke turned out to be straight. It was the talk of the village. Even more than that, she knew how much of an advantage it would be to have the Uchiha clan up and running once again in Konoha. A blood line like that shouldn't die out without a final, ditch effort to reconstruct what once was.

"I see. And what exactly do you think _I _can do to help you?" Her red finger nails laid on top of her exposed knees. "You're dealing with Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura swallowed nervously. Why was she suddenly sweating?

"I need you to teach me your tricks," Sakura said.

"It has been a while," Kurenai sighed, raising her arms to stretch them and exposing her strong and beautiful arms. "But since I'm amused," she smirked at them, "I'll help."

Sakura looked at her in excitement. Finally, she'd have a professional to help them out.

"But my question for you, is why seduce the Uchiha?" Kurenai asked. "He already wants to have sex with you."

Sakura gripped the edge of her skirt tightly. "I need him to love me."

Kurenai raised her eyebrows. That was intriguing.

"He doesn't?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm not going to rebuild the Uchiha clan unless he falls for me." She silently added,_ or until my three months are up._

"That is quite a problem," Kurenai agreed.

She thought of her daughter who was currently at school at the moment. She couldn't have made such a beautiful girl without the love of Asuma. For Sakura, who was dealing with Sasuke's loveless idea of a family, this was unthinkable. Kurenai nodded slowly.

"You're approaching this the right way," she replied. "He wants sex while you want love."

Sakura smiled sadly. Her green eyes holding pain. "I know it's impossible..."

Kurenai took a sip of the water on her coffee table and licked her lips slowly. "Do you know why we have seduction missions, Sakura?"

Sakura looked at the dark haired woman. "To get information, assassinate or obtain a clan trait the village desires."

Kurenai shook her head. "But why seduction?"

Sakura did not have an answer.

"Love is universal," Kurenai said. "Everyone wants it. So when an alluring man or woman comes into one's life, do you honestly think someone is going to resist that glimpse of romance?"

Sakura crossed her legs and nodded. "So da ne?"

"Hai," Kurenai confirmed. "Sasuke is no different. In fact, I'm curious as to why he asked you alone to rebuild his clan."

Sakura folded her arms and closed her eyes. "I'm one of the three legendary Sannin. My chakra control is outstanding. I'm the top medical nin in Konoha and the student of the fifth Hokage." She smirked and opened her eyes. "To put it lightly, I'm bad ass."

Kurenai laughed. She had to agree. Sakura was an excellent choice for the Uchiha clan. But she wanted to dig deeper.

"Sasuke could have asked someone else," Kurenai said. "They may be a little hesitant, but you flat out rejected him. Yet you're living under his roof and sharing moments together." She looked at Sakura. "I'm assuming from your posture you're sleeping with him."

"N-Not sexually..."

"Of course," Kurenai said, waving the very thought away. "No, you're much too smart to give it up to him now."

Sakura grinned. She was starting to think maybe she should have come to Kurenai in the first place. The woman was clearly a genius.

"Think further," Kurenai pushed. "Your past. Your history. You two were once teammates. Even after he betrayed the village, you kept going after him with Naruto. And despite his attempts to kill you," Sakura winced, "You still love him."

Sakura swallowed. Yes. She still loved him. If she didn't, she'd be out of this village as quick as possible to escape Naruto having to give her the order to rebuild the clan with him. Maybe she'd go to sand. Gaara seemed reasonable enough and he and Naruto were friends. He'd take care of her.

"Sasuke knows that you are the only one he can rebuild his clan with," Kurenai stated. "No one else will be able to do what he needs." She smirked. "This is your leverage. Your advantage." She nodded. "Go into this knowing that no matter what happens, he will not walk away from you."

Sakura's brow furrow. That seemed like a far stretch. Sasuke disposed of useless people as fast as he could create chidori. She had experienced it. Karin sure as hell experienced it. If she didn't eventually give in, he'd get sick of her and leave her alone.

"He needs you, Sakura," Kurenai said, slicing through her thoughts. "If he didn't, would you two be sleeping together?"

Sakura bit her lower lip. "But what if this doesn't work?"

Kurenai raised her head high. "You are the fifth's pupil and you are under _my _teaching." She confidently grinned. "There is no way this won't work."

Sakura took a deep breath. Right. Positive thinking. She had to go into this like she was going to battle with an enemy. Analyze her opponent and then create a strategy for the best possible outcome.

"Now, I want you to tell me what I've been doing since you came in," Kurenai said coolly. "Because I've already been seducing you two since then."

Sakura's eyes widened. So that's why she was feeling nervous.

"Your foot," Sakura replied. "You've been rotating it." She looked at Kurenai's exposed neck. "When you tousled your hair, you exposed your neck." She eyed Kurenai's smirk and let one of her own slide to her face. "Your expression is one of desire."

Kurenai nodded. "What else?"

"Your arms," Sakura said, "You've been exposing them to us in small ways."

"The foot movement is so your eyes immediately go to my legs," Kurenai explained. "Neck exposure is a sign of willingness to let someone ravage you." She nodded. "Women have a universal way of showing they are interested. Eye contact," she demonstrated, "tilted head downward," Kurenai pressed her chin close to her chest, "and then to the side with a small, coy grin," she did so, "and immediate breakage of eye contact." Kurenai looked away. "As for the arms, that is where our pheromones are strongest."

Sakura leaned back in her chair. "I see."

"These are the basics," Kurenai said, pointedly. "I'm going to teach you as much as I can." She grinned. She hadn't had this much fun since showing Hinata how to seduce Naruto. "These techniques are what made Hinata the Hokage's wife."

Sakura grinned. Now that was encouraging. In a heartbeat she was on the floor, forehead pressed to the ground.

"Onegaishimasu, sensei!" She lifted her gaze up to Kurenai and let her see the flame inside. "Watashi o oshieru!"

* * *

"Sasuke's seriously making me worry," Naruto said, rubbing his blonde hair as he pressed his head to his desk.

Hinata, who had brought him his lunch once again, gently massaged his shoulders. She smiled. Her dear husband was worrying once again over the state of affairs between a certain Uchiha and pink haired kunoichi. He had explained to her the previous night exactly why he had to leave her alone with the festival to-do list. She forgave him, of course, after multiple apologies in and outside of bed.

"Doushite?" Hinata whispered in his ear.

Naruto shivered, his cheeks tinted pink. "M-Mou...Hinata..."

"Hai?" she murmured, her lips against his lobe.

He gulped. "W-Well, he doesn't really know how to express his feelings...a-and S-Sakura-chan..."

"What about Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked, licking the rim tenderly.

Naruto swallowed. He had parted ways with his friends that morning to get to the Hokage's office so he could do some work. He always did love having Hinata bring him his lunch, but since he carelessly forgot his duty to the festival, she had been _torturing _him.

"I'm just worried," Naruto hoarsely said as she hummed against his neck. "At least he's acknowledged his feelings...but how is gonna show her...?"

Hinata let her hands slide away from his shoulders and down his chest until her fingers grasped the arm rests of the chair. She slowly spun him around and knelt in front of him. He felt the throbbing in his loins that Sai always talked about. If there was any question from anyone of whether or not the Hokage had a penis, in that moment, there was no doubt._  
_

"Naruto," Hinata said with a hushed voice, her palms rubbing against his thighs. "As your wife, you do realize that it is my duty," she tugged at the zipper of his orange jacket, "and my pleasure," she yanked it down and pulled it away from his shoulders, "to serve you in _every _possible way, don't you?"

Naruto let out a sigh, trying to squelch the groan erupting from deep within. Hinata was definitely a little vixen in bed. While she had a shy exterior, when she put her mind to it, she could do anything. He absolutely loved that about her.

"H-Hinata," he gasped as her fingers trailed up his shirt, nails grazing against his abs.

"And as your wife," Hinata continued, her cheeks pink from being so close to her love, "It is my duty to ease your mind." She kissed both of his knees. "So I retrieved something very valuable to the Uchiha clan the other day."

"V-Valuable?" Naruto asked, his voice hiking up as her forefinger and thumb lightly squeezed his nipple.

"Hai," Hinata replied, encouraging him to take off his shirt.

Getting her hint, he did as she wished and tossed it to the floor. Her eyes, turning greedy with lust, flicked over his chest and torso. She smiled an innocent smile, but Naruto knew what was in store.

"I gave Sasuke-kun something that will show Sakura-chan that he does love her," Hinata explained.

"And how, exactly," Naruto grit out as she pressed her mouth to his chest and flicked her tongue along the crevices of his muscles, "Did you do that?"

She pulled away and lifted her head to meet his blue eyes. She cupped his cheek delicately, making sure he could feel the warmth of her fingertips.

"As the wife of Uzumaki Naruto," a mischievous look struck her face like lightning, "I have my ways."

"And what is this..." He stopped mid-sentence as she pressed her soft breasts against his chest. "...valuable thing?"

Hinata pressed a finger to her lips and winked. "It's a secret."

Naruto growled and drew her into his lap. His hands made their way to her waist band. "I thought that husband and wife _had _no secrets, Hinata."

She pressed her mouth to his, letting his tongue slide against hers in a battle of dominance. He won, of course, but only because she let him. He was her kyuubi, after all. He was her husband. She couldn't help but succumb to him.

"N-Naruto-kun," she moaned as he let his fingers slide down to her core and pressed against the lips of her entrance way.

"Hinata," Naruto said with a smirk, "What's this secret you're keeping from me?"

Hinata bit her lower lip. "I-I won't tell you."

He pressed his hand further inside of her and stifled her groan with his mouth. Engulfing her cries, he wrapped his arm around her so she wouldn't break free. She was his, and he was hers. There was no where in the world he would rather be than inside of her.

Hinata tilted her head back as she felt him grow hard against her. There it was, the very thing that could drive her wild to the point of doing whatever he wanted. Still, she wasn't one to give in so easily. She was an Uzumaki, after all.

In a moment she was up against the wall, her legs wrapped around his torso and his cock firmly pressed up to her wet passageway. His fingers were still inside of her as he kept her gaze. She knew that they wouldn't be there for long. They would soon be replaced by something much more satisfying for the both of them.

"No matter what?" He tugged at her aching core.

"N-No matter what," Hinata panted, feeling her saliva trail down her chin.

Naruto grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that." He drew his fingers away from her soaking wet self and licked the juices off of them. "I always _love_ doing things the hard way with you."

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke felt awkward. He normally didn't in his own house. Often times he'd just relax on the couch, reading through the police reports he had brought home. He'd usually be alone. That came with being the only master of the house. So imagine his surprise to find Haruno Sakura reading through her hospital reports on the couch with him.

So while their feet were both propped up, he couldn't help but notice her delicate toes were oh so close to his own. He eyed her. Something was different. Granted, her skirt was hiked up a little too high. And for some odd reason her breasts seemed to be just out there for him to admire. But was it really that noticeable of a difference?

Sasuke flicked his eyes up from the writing he had been reading and over to the medical ninja. Yes. It _was _that noticeable of a difference. Her breasts were popping. He tilted his head. Maybe it was the way she was sitting. She did have her back leaned against the armrest of the couch.

He coughed. She glanced up from her reading. His eyes widened at her smoldering gaze. She looked at him for a brief moment, blushed, looked down and away. Something was _definitely _different.

Haruno Sakura, on the other hand, had spent all morning getting Kurenai to train her. Surprisingly enough, the advice and tips she had given her weren't so straightforward as she expected them to be. Instead of telling her to straight out walk around the house naked, she advised her to show him a peek here and a peek there.

"It leaves more up to the imagination," Kurenai had said with a wink. "You never give yourself wholly to a man until you know he's absolutely yours."

So Sakura would hold out. She would wait to make her very last move.

This was like a game of shōgi. She had to be aware of all of the pieces on and off the board. Every move she would make would have to be with the utmost tactic. This was _war_.

So as she shifted her body to get into a more comfortable position and show off her chest a little more, she made sure to press her toes against her opponents. She felt him jump. She pretended to read further into her reports to hide the growing grin on her face.

Sasuke felt the heat spread through his feet like wild fire. Did Sakura even realize they were touching? Judging from the lack of response on her part, she had know clue. He felt anger bubble in his chest. She was touching him and she didn't even _appreciate _it?

He let his shoulders relax. He just needed to remember what the men of team seven had said. He had to make sure she knew she wasn't just someone to rebuild his clan with. He had to show her that he lo...

He clenched his jaw. He had to show her that he cared.

It was then that the report had slipped from her hands. She watched the papers fall to the floor in front of Sasuke. She blinked in surprise.

"Ah," she said, leaning forward to grab them.

But as soon as she had sat up, Sasuke was already down on his knees collecting them for her. He made sure to stack them neatly before rising and sitting down on the couch. He held them out for her to take.

Kurenai had said little things like this would happen. Whenever Sasuke did something for her, she needed to make sure she rewarded him. It was kind of like a dog with treats. When the dog would sit on command, Sakura would give him his treat. Sakura took a slow breath. Well, here was his treat.

She moved closer to him to the point where their knees were now touching. She looked him straight in the eyes as she wrapped her fingers around the pieces of paper, making sure her nails brushed against his knuckles. She smiled gently.

"Arigatou, Sasuke," she whispered, as if to not disturb the quiet they had between them.

Sasuke stared at her. He let go of the papers and Sakura backed off. She laid back down to continue reading, making sure her toes were touching his once again. He kept looking at her.

Was his heart supposed to be pounding like that? Why was he sweating? What _was_ this? He swallowed. Was this the bond Naruto had been talking about? The unbreakable bond between a man and a woman?

Sasuke grit his teeth. How was he supposed to show his feelings when he wasn't even sure what the _hell _was going on with them? It was like one moment he was ice cold and the next he was plunged head first into a damn volcano.

"Ah, you two lovebirds!" a voice said, interrupting Sasuke's thoughts.

Sakura and Sasuke looked behind them to find Sai just standing there in the living room with a fake smile on his face. Sasuke suddenly had a headache.

"Don't you ever knock?" Sasuke growled, placing his police reports on the coffee table.

"What is it, Sai?" Sakura asked politely.

"I need your help," he said gently. "I need you to bring Ino to her old training grounds by nine o'clock tonight."

Sakura tilted her head. "Is this about your proposal?" She nodded slowly. "I'll invite her to go to the bathhouse with Hinata and me. We'll bring her to you."

Sai grinned cheerfully at her. "I knew I could count on you, Ugly."

Sakura's smile twitched as she pressed the phone to her ear. "Call me that one more time, baka." She stood and stretched from her position. "Let me go call them and set everything up."

With the padding of her feet, Sakura was out of the living room in moments. Sai looked down at Sasuke and smiled.

"You seem rather perplexed, traitor."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder. "She's acting different."

Sai nodded. "Well, things are bound to get awkward after a failed proposal."

Sasuke blanched. That wasn't what he was talking about. Her demeanor around him...Did she even realize what she had done with just those small touches?

"She's..." Sasuke was having difficulty getting the words out.

"She's making you feel," Sai said quietly.

Sasuke looked into Sai's dark eyes, a mutual understanding between two men who had the utmost difficulty with emotions. For the first time in a while, Sai really did get Sasuke. Their approach with the women they loved was definitely different, but their feelings were very much so similar.

"Let me give you a piece of advice," Sai slowly said. "Whatever she's making you go through, whatever it is she's making you feel..." He clenched his fists. "Don't fight it." He let out a laugh. "This is one war you are going to lose."

Sasuke shifted. He saw the painful look in Sai's eyes.

"For the longest time, I had fought Ino's advances," Sai explained, holding out his arms to emphasize his words. "I thought that love...love from a woman was something to fear because it made you weak." Sasuke's ears perked up at the familiarity of the situation. "But I was wrong. Love isn't something to fear." He leaned on the couch to get a closer look at Sasuke. "It's something to embrace. It is the strongest emotion you can feel." He smirked. "Stronger than hatred."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Hatred. He had had enough of that in his lifetime. Sai had a point. It was love that drove Naruto to continuously come after him. It was love that kept Sakura by his side. And it was love that kept him in this damn village even after all of the ridiculous orange jumpsuits and gay tendencies it had brought to him.

"But what do I know?" Sai asked, his smile returning to his features. "In about six hours we'll find out if I'm in the same situation as you or if I'm screwing the brains out of my betrothed."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. He really was surrounded by a bunch of idiots.

* * *

"Why are we going this way?" Ino asked suspiciously, "What're you two up to?"

Hinata and Sakura sweat dropped. Sakura and Hinata had discussed what was going on so the Uzumaki bride knew exactly what was in store. They had left the bathhouse and insisted that they look at the stars together at Ino's old training grounds. Everything was going according to plan. Everything, that is, except for Ino.

"You two have been acting strange since I met up with you," Ino growled as they made their way through the forest. "Would you guys just spit it out already?"

Hinata and Sakura exchanged looks. They had to lie. They had to do _something_. So as Ino's blue eyes sparkled menacingly in the dim light, Hinata started sweating bullets. Lying wasn't something she was good at. It had been a big enough problem trying to keep Naruto at bay during lunch. Even after his 'punishment,' she still somehow managed to keep her trap shut about the 'valuable thing' she gave to Sasuke. Naruto was persistent. She knew he'd be asking her again when she got home.

Sakura sighed. "Hinata, we might as well tell her."

Hinata's lavender eyes bulged. "W-What are you s-saying Sakura? It'll ruin the surprise!"

Sakura gave her a stern look and shook her head. Hinata felt the sinking of her heart. Had they failed? Had they really failed at such a simple mission? With that thought in her mind, she looked to the ground, ashamed. She just hoped Sakura would do it quick, like ripping off a band-aid.

"What surprise?" Ino pried excitedly. "Are you sleeping with Sasuke yet?" She got giddy. "Or Hinata, are you pregnant?"

"P-Pregnant!?" Hinata stammered, turning beat red. "N-Naruto-kun and I have discussed it and we're going to wait a little before and..." The world was spinning in circles. "N-No! I'm not p-pregnant!"

Ino pouted. "Then what is it?"

Sakura sighed and clenched her jaw. She just hoped Sasuke wouldn't ever have to hear about this. "Your first assumption was right." She stared Ino right in the eye and let a blush overtake her face. "I'm sleeping with Uchiha Sasuke."

If Hinata's eyes could pop out of her head, they would have.

Ino narrowed her eyes. "Lie."

Sakura ground her jaw. They only had a little bit further until they'd reach Sai. Couldn't Ino just wait until then to rip her a new one?

"Yeah," Sakura said, "You're right."

Ino sighed in relief. For a split second, she thought her closest friend had jumped off the deep end.

"Then what is it?"

Sakura and Hinata looked to each other. They cleared a pathway between two bushes and motioned for her to make her way down it. Glancing at the pair, she shook her head. Whatever. She started walking onto her old training grounds.

"I mean really, forehead girl," Ino scoffed, "Did you really think I'd just believe that you were..." She trailed off when she realized she was alone. She frowned. "Sakura? Hinata?"

"Gomen," Sai said, coming out from behind a tree and entering the moonlight. "I didn't mean to bring you here under false pretenses, I just..."

Ino stared at her partner. "What are you doing here?"

Sai smiled gently at her and quickly approached her. "We've been dating for the past three years, haven't we?"

Ino glanced around. This was strange. Where were Hinata and Sakura?

"They're here," Sai said, seeing her look of concern. "They're just waiting for me to do something."

Ino looked back to him, surprised to see him so close to her face. She blushed. She sharply turned her head away. He hadn't been so close to her in a week. And here he was thinking he could just invade her personal space like nothing even happened—

He pressed his lips to her wrist and looked at her tenderly. "Gomenasai." He lowered her hand away from his mouth, but still held on tightly to it. "I have been neglecting your needs. For that, I apologize."

Ino's blush deepened. "Why haven't you been touching me?" She felt tears stream down her cheeks. "Are you...Are you sick of me?"

Sai was shocked. "Never." He frowned. Maybe the pink haired kunoichi had been right. Maybe he should have talked to Ino about his feelings. "I didn't want you to feel like just someone I had coitus with."

Ino choked out a laugh. "Sakura told me."

Sai nodded. "But she didn't tell you this part." He released her fingers and whipped out his notepad. He flipped it back to show her a single circle.

Ino raised her eyebrows. "Nani?"

"Place your hand on it," Sai said softly.

Ino hesitantly did as he said, finding that her fingers went through the pad of paper like it was water. Drawing her hand back, she noticed the circle was gone. She tilted her head in confusion.

Sai dropped the pad to the ground and drew her fingers once more to his lips. It was then that she noticed the ring on her left finger.

"Yamanaka Ino," Sai said sweetly. "You have made me feel emotions to the point where the books I read don't even do it justice." He kissed her cheek. "I know that it is custom for men to ask women to marry them so I..."

"Marry me," Ino said quickly.

Sai frowned. "B-But I'm the one proposing to you."

"_Marry _me," Ino laughed.

And for the first time in a long time, Sai cried tears of joy.

* * *

"I'm so happy for them," Sakura sighed, sliding into bed with Sasuke. "He must have worked so hard on the proposal." She placed her finger to her cheek contemplatively. "It almost sounded normal."

Sasuke had been silent. He too had watched alongside Ino's teammates and his own team seven comrades. They had all been happy for the pair. But he hadn't.

Like with Shikamaru and Temari, he felt undeniable jealousy. That's how it should have gone with Sakura just the week before. She should have accepted. She should have leaped at the chance to be with him for eternity. He was angry.

"Mou, Sasuke?" Sakura asked slowly, waving her hand in front of his dazed face. "Daijoubu?"

Sasuke caught her hand harshly and yanked her close to him so he could see her eyes properly. The surprise did not escape him. She blinked before blushing.

"S-Sasuke," she said, "W-What are you doing?"

"Sakura," Sasuke said coldly. "Rebuild the Uchiha clan with me."

Her eyes widened. Here he was, asking her again. Had Sai's proposal stirred up some kind of reaction in him? She felt his grip tighten and she winced. She could easily escape his grip. He might have been strong, but _she _was trained to evade and avoid. Escaping was easy.

But she didn't want to have to escape him. She wanted to be trapped by him forever. Caged, like her heart, with Sasuke as the key.

"Then say it," Sakura demanded.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The tomoe was spinning wildly and the red was overpowering. Still, Sakura did not back down.

"You think that by telling me to rebuild the Uchiha clan with you, that you're going to convince me to do it?" Sakura asked him, the fire in her eyes fading and showing him the pain behind them. "Sasuke, nothing has changed in a week. We share a bed because of my nightmares. I live with you because my apartment was burned down. I still..."

Sakura shook her head. What was it going to take to get through to him?

"Sasuke," Sakura murmured, leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips, "Aishiteru."

He felt her warm mouth gently touch his own. It was like being kissed by a flower petal. Almost nonexistent to the point where you had to watch to make sure it was happening. But as suddenly as her lips pressed against his, they left just as quickly.

Eyes still open from shock, Sasuke watched as she pulled away. The smile on her lips wasn't disturbed by the tears streaming down her face.

"Aishiteru," she repeated shakily, "Demo..."

She shook her head. She couldn't tell him. She couldn't tell him what she needed. He had to discover it himself. He probably already knew. He probably already realized that she needed him to love her.

She turned away from him and flicked off the light. She shifted to the farthest part of the bed away from him and made sure her back was facing him.

"Oyasuminasai, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered.

But it would be a long time before either of them fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"Check it out, forehead girl," Ino sneered, showing off the ring to Sakura as they sat together in the Uchiha manor. "I'm _engaged_."

Sakura smiled brightly and took a sip of the tea she had made. "That's so exciting, Ino."

Ino sighed happily, holding the ring close to her heart. "He almost didn't let me get out of bed this morning." Her eyebrows wiggled suggestively. "I guess going a week without sex really helps put things in perspective of how much you really do need it."

Sakura scooted closer to Ino under the blanket they shared. After the previous night, she was grateful she had a friend to talk with to pull her focus elsewhere. Feeling happy for her friend's proposal was far better than sulking over the request from Sasuke to rebuild his clan. She blew on the tea to hide a sigh of disappointment.

Sakura felt like she was at square one again. They were right back where she started. She had thought they were progressing. Was she wrong? Was that just wishful thinking on her part? The tenderness he showed her, the gentle kiss on her forehead, the meals they had made for one another...Him _staying _with her at night to make sure she didn't have nightmares. Was it all for nothing? Did he really...Did he really have no feelings for her?_  
_

She swallowed. It had only been a week. She still had almost three months to get him to love her before she had to use her last resort. She couldn't change him, but she could change his heart. She could definitely change his heart. With this time crunch and the fates allowing her to live with him, she had to change his heart. There was no other option.

"Ne, Sakura?" Ino asked, poking her in the forehead. "You in there somewhere? I just asked you a question."

Sakura shook her head and laughed uneasily. She needed to focus. This was a great day for Ino. She couldn't ruin it by being so distracted.

"Gomen, gomen," Sakura laughed, scratching the back of her head and sticking her tongue out playfully.

Ino frowned. She knew a fake smile when she saw one. She was engaged to Sai after all. She placed the cup she had been holding down and grabbed Sakura's hands in her own.

"Sakura," Ino said seriously. "It doesn't matter how happy I am right now. What's going on?" She lifted her fingers to her friend's cheek. "Is it Sasuke?" She glared off into space. "I'm gonna kill that damn..."

"D-Daijoubu," Sakura said a little too hastily.

She kept her smile up. She had to. She didn't want to worry Ino. Sai had just proposed to her. This was a celebratory moment. Plus, Ino was leaving that day for her mission with Shikamaru and Chōji. She wouldn't be back for a good three days. She was spending a few of her last hours in Konoha before travel with her, and Sakura didn't want to ruin the mood. This was such a great day for her and—

By the time Sakura realized she was crying, it was too late. The tears poured from her eyes like rain.

"H-He told me to rebuild his clan with him," Sakura sobbed, rushing into Ino's awaiting arms. "I told him I loved him but..." She hiccuped. "He couldn't say it back."

Ino shook her head, feeling the hot acidic tears slide down her shirt. "Heartless."

Sakura sniffled and pulled herself away from her best friend. She rubbed her red nose. "No." She placed a hand over her heart. "These are my feelings and he doesn't have to accept them."

"Yes, he does," Ino snapped. "You deserve so much more than he's giving to you. You guys sleep in the same damn bed and live under the same fucking roof. You'd think he'd develop some feelings for you."

Sakura shook her head. It was wishful thinking to even imagine the cold Uchiha having feelings for her at that moment. He probably only saw her as a precious teammate, friend, and a future clan leader. If the previous night had proven anything, it was that he just wanted her to bear his children and hurry up with it.

"It'll be okay, Ino."

"But if he doesn't, you're gonna have to—"

"It'll be fine," Sakura interrupted her. "I'll make it work." She held up a fist and grinned. "I am the queen of fist after all."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Hai, hai, Sannin-sama."

* * *

"Teme, watch it!" Naruto shouted, swiftly avoiding Sasuke's chidori. "You tryin' to kill me?"

"I want you to come at me hard, baka!" Sasuke shouted, his mangekyō sharingan blaring wildly. "Land a damn blow on me!"

Naruto stared at Sasuke in confusion. When Sasuke had dragged him out of bed yet again for another one of his sparring sessions, Naruto thought it would be the usual. I mean, they didn't want to kill each other. But apparently the Uchiha had a death wish.

"I'm not gonna _kill _you," Naruto snarled, defending himself. "What the hell is this about? Something happen with Sakura?"

Naruto said the magic words. The Uchiha made a few hand seals, and let out his fire jutsu to set Naruto's ass on fire. The orange jump-suit wearing Hokage dodged at the last minute only to tumble behind a bush.

Naruto didn't get it. He thought Sasuke was finally coming to terms with his issues. He thought he had a new found determination to show Sakura just how he felt. Had something snapped inside of the Uchiha?

"I asked her to rebuild my fucking clan," Sasuke snarled, burning away the bush Naruto had been hiding behind.

"Well, that sounds productive," Naruto said from a nearby tree, having his clone stay behind the bush in his place.

"Clearly it wasn't," Sasuke growled, chokutō drawn and ready for action. He swiped down the tree the dobe was standing on. "She rejected me. _Again_."

Naruto sweat dropped. "How'd you ask her?"

Sasuke smirked. "I didn't."

"Damn, teme," Naruto said, jumping through the trees as Sasuke came after him. "You think you would've learned the first time. You always ask a girl. You never demand."

Sasuke sliced through branches and bushes to get at Naruto. He was pissed and just wanted to work out his issues. Was it too much to ask for? Apparently.

"She said she loved me," Sasuke bit out as he landed on a branch near Naruto.

The two exchanged blows.

"Well that's good, isn't it?"

Naruto dodged a punch and shoved his knee in Sasuke's gut.

"I didn't say it back."

Sasuke leaped up and tried to swipe Naruto with his sword. It went straight through his clone.

"Fuck, teme. Way to screw up." Naruto laid a blow down on Sasuke's shoulder. He deflected it. "Why didn't you just say it?"

"I'm _not _going to say it."

Naruto back flipped off of the tree and watched as Sasuke came at him full force.

"Then she's not going to help you rebuild your clan."

Sasuke ground his teeth. He landed a blow to Naruto's head, knocking him back. The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The dobe had a point. He just had to say it. Just once. Then she'd understand. Then she'd realize it's not just about his second goal in life with her.

"Fuck you," Sasuke cursed as Naruto punched him in the gut.

Naruto looked at Sasuke. "We can role play again if you want."

Sasuke glared up at him while Naruto looked away. Even though they were talking, Naruto knew better than to let himself get trapped in the sharingan.

"Why can't you just admit it?" Naruto asked, pulling away as Sasuke took a jab at him with his sword. "You can start with telling me how you feel about her."

Sasuke felt ridiculous. No Uchiha should have to resort to such means just to get a woman to say yes to his proposal. He'd rather die.

"Baka," Sasuke sneered, twisting away from Naruto's rasengan. "I'm not doing that."

"Too bad," Naruto grunted, leaping up into a tree and disappearing in the depths of the leaves. "It helped me with Hinata."

Sasuke frowned. Hinata and Sakura were two very different women. While Hinata would be satisfied with whatever bone Naruto threw at her, Sakura would not yield. She was a fiery woman who had let the years of loving him change her. She had a backbone for sure and wouldn't settle for anything less than what she deserved.

He grit his teeth. All it took was Sasuke to tell her what she wanted to hear. Why couldn't he fucking say it? Sai didn't even have emotions and he just managed to propose the previous night. So why couldn't Sasuke do the same? What the hell was stopping him from saying it?

"If you want to be a coward then fine," Naruto said, pulling him from his thoughts. "But Sakura's not gonna wait forever."

Sasuke smirked. "She's waited for me since she was twelve."

Naruto felt anger bubble in his chest. "Teme, she loves you." He dropped down low so Sasuke couldn't hit him. "And she'll wait for you forever to hear how you truly feel." He twisted forward, over Sasuke's shoulder. "But if you don't admit how you feel soon, she's never gonna rebuild your clan."

Sasuke growled. "I know that already, urasuratonkachi."

Naruto made his way up a tree. "Then what's the problem?"

Sasuke ground his teeth. "I don't know." He knocked down the tree Naruto was in. "I fucking _don't know_."

Naruto felt movement behind him and turned just in time to get punched in the jaw. Sasuke made his way up his arm, deflecting the defense Naruto tried, and pressed his fist to his face.

Naruto spat out blood. He rubbed the liquid away from his chin with his sleeve. He grinned.

"We always did communicate best with our fists," Naruto admitted.

It was time for the two of them to get serious. Naruto wasn't getting anywhere with words. No, it was time for the two legendary shinobi to go at it head to head until Naruto understood Sasuke.

"So I'll help you figure it out," Naruto said confidently, cracking his knuckles. "I'll read your heart and find out what's keeping you from telling her."

Sasuke smirked. "Try, if you can."

* * *

Haruno Sakura was used to healing Naruto and Sasuke. In fact, it was one of the highlights of her week when she got to place gauze and band-aids on their cheeks. It reminded her that she was useful now. That she was needed by them no matter what. Normally they'd come to her with a cut here, a bruise there...maybe a broken rib here and there. But they were her boys. So it was fine.

"I'm curious," Sakura said, her smile twitching in irritation as she eyed the two in their hospital beds, covered from head to toe in casts. "How exactly you two managed this."

But this was not fine. She had been in the middle of an operation when one of the nurses rushed in, alerting her of an emergency. Sakura thought that someone had infiltrated the village. That shinobi had come back from a mission nearly dead.

"M-Mou," Naruto pleaded hoarsely. "J-Just heal us."

"No," Sakura said stubbornly, folding her arms. "Not until you both tell me what the hell happened." She sighed and looked at her clipboard. "Four fractured bones, broken ribs, cracked skulls, internal bleeding and burn marks?" She shook her head. "Were you _trying_ to kill each other?"

Naruto laughed awkwardly. "J-Just heal us so we can go home."

Sakura glared. "What? Are you worried Hinata's going to find out?"

Naruto sweat dropped. Was it too much for him to ask her not to say anything to his wife?

"Then don't worry," Sakura said.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief. Sakura smirked.

"She's on her way."

The Hokage felt a chill run up his spine. He had to get out of there, somehow. He tried moving, but the casts he was swallowed in wouldn't allow him.

Sakura's temple throbbed. "Don't bother struggling." She smirked. "Those casts are infused with my chakra. There's no way you're getting out of this hospital." She folded her arms. "Not until you both tell me what the hell you were thinking."

Sasuke, who had remained silent the entire time, was busy looking out the window. Sasuke and Naruto _had _nearly killed each other. Naruto, trying to figure out why Sasuke couldn't say anything to Sakura, and Sasuke allowing him to search. They had a special bond. What Sasuke couldn't understand himself, Naruto would figure it out.

At the last second, before they both passed out and their bodies couldn't go on much longer, Naruto had a look of realization on his face. Sasuke, ever curious, wondered what the blonde idiot found that he himself couldn't figure out.

"So?" Sakura prodded, tapping her pen against her clipboard. "Got anything to say, you two?"

Naruto looked to Sasuke. He wasn't saying _anything _with her there. No. Not until he could talk to Sasuke about what he had found. Sasuke's fear wasn't what Naruto had originally thought it was. It wasn't that he was afraid of love. That was the furthest thing from his mind.

No, Sasuke had something much darker going on. Something he didn't even realize he was terrified of. Naruto was determined to help shed some light on him.

Sakura looked between the two silent shinobi in front of her. She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was useless. She just wasn't getting through to them.

"Sasuke," Sakura said suddenly, her tone tired, "Naruto's the Hokage. It's your duty to protect him. _Not _to kill him." She looked pointedly to Naruto. "And Naruto, Sasuke's the head of the police force. It's _your _duty to protect him too."

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged looks. The blonde finally opened his mouth.

"We're guys," Naruto said with a cheeky grin. "This is how we communicate."

Sasuke, to her surprise, smirked. "Heh."

Sakura blinked. This was ridiculous. She was dealing with the biggest idiots in town. If they didn't want to tell her, then fine. They always did leave her out of their crap when they were younger. They always pulled that crap. So what if she was a woman? She could handle it. After all, she saw more blood than they'd ever get to witness in their lifetime.

"I have three more operations to get through," Sakura finally bit out, walking toward the door, "I want you to _sit _here and think about what you've done."

She shut the door behind her with a slam and exhaled. Her patience was wearing thin. She looked up to find Kakashi leaning against the opposite wall. Obviously he was worried. It wasn't ever day that the Hokage and the head of the police force tried to kill each other.

"Don't worry about them, Sakura," Kakashi said coolly. "They'll work it out."

Sakura dropped her clipboard and let her fingers wrap in her pink hair. She let out a scream of frustration she was positive the whole hospital could hear.

"I can't _deal _with this right now," she snapped, picking up the clipboard and motioning for Kakashi to walk with her. He did as she asked. "I've got three operations, an autopsy and a very concerned Uzumaki to work with." She glanced at Kakashi. "Gomen. I'll send in a nurse to check up on the two idiots later. They just need to talk this out. Whatever the hell is going on, they'll deal with it like adults." She narrowed her eyes. "I'll make _sure _of it."

Kakashi thought for a moment. "Ne, Sakura, are you going to release them later today?"

Sakura sighed and nodded. "Hinata would be too worried if I had to keep Naruto overnight. I'll spend most of my chakra healing them after I've finished up tonight."

Kakashi hummed, "Maybe it'd be best if you just healed Naruto."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "And let Uchiha-sama get more irritated?" She laughed. "No thanks."

Kakashi folded his arms as she turned to unlock her office door. He watched her petite back. She was tired, that was for sure. But it wasn't the usual exhaustion she exuded after working a long day at the hospital. This kind of weariness came from one man, and one man only.

"You two had a fight last night," he concluded out loud.

Sakura sighed and opened the door. "How can it be a fight when he doesn't even talk to me?" She set her keys on her desk and leaned against it. "What am I supposed to do with him if all he says is, 'rebuild the Uchiha clan with me'?" She rolled her jade eyes and slid off her white coat. "He doesn't even ask it. He _demands_ it."

Kakashi was grateful for his mask at that moment. He was too angry with his former student to keep his frown from showing. Sasuke was seriously digging a deep hole for himself. Hadn't they just talked the other day about emotions and needing to let it out? Hadn't they gone through the gist of, "Sasuke, you need to stop being a wuss and just tell her how you feel?" Apparently it didn't get through to the Uchiha's proud, thick skull.

"I told him I _loved _him, Kaka-sensei," Sakura said, the sadness in her eyes apparent. "He can't even say it back, and he wants me to rebuild the clan?" She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't do it. I can't _do _this." She glared up at Kakashi. "Why is he asking me this now? He's been back for five years."

Kakashi was wondering it himself. Why _had _the Uchiha asked her now? He had plenty of time before this to slowly woo her and develop a meaningful relationship. He could have asked her after a long courtship for her to be his wife. She would have said yes to that. So why was Sasuke screwing it all up and jumping the gun? He thought his student was smarter than that.

Sakura swallowed. "Look, Kaka-sensei. I've got an operation to get to." She smiled kindly at him. "Some kid decided to try eating his chopsticks and I've gotta get the damn things out of his stomach." She rubbed her neck. "You mind keeping an eye on the two idiots until I'm finished with my rounds?"

Kakashi had nothing better to do. Besides, it was his job as their sensei to make sure the two didn't strangle each other.

"Ah," he agreed. "I'll do it. Maybe I can get them to talk."

* * *

"So out with it," Kakashi said, sitting on a stool one of the nurses had kindly provided him. He looked at his injured students lying on the beds. "Why'd you fight this time?"

"I found out Sasuke's problem!" Naruto exclaimed cheerfully.

Sasuke, for once, was too shocked to reply. Was it true what Naruto had said? He glared at the blonde idiot. He did know Sasuke better than he knew himself. So it wasn't that he was afraid of saying _it_. No. This was much more embarrassing than he had hoped it was going to be. This was downright degrading. It couldn't be...

"Oh?" Kakashi asked, folding his arms impatiently. "Aren't you going to tell your old sensei?"

This was too much. Sasuke couldn't be _that_ much of a coward, could he? The Uchiha clutched the sheets tightly and bared his teeth. This was disgusting. He was right. Love _did _make people do disgusting things.

"Ne, Kaka-sensei," Naruto giggled, winking at his teacher. "It's worse than we thought."

Sasuke felt his cheeks heat up. This couldn't be happening. Not to him.

"Oh really?" Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Naruto," Sasuke growled, "Don't—"

"Teme loves Sakura more than we knew," Naruto snickered.

Kakashi frowned behind his mask. So it wasn't a matter of denial of his feelings. Well, that was a relief. He shifted in his seat, leaning forward to get a good look at the averted gaze of the Uchiha.

"So what's going on?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto shook his head and made a zipper motion against his lips. "Not telling."

Sasuke felt like a weight had been lifted. He was grateful that the idiot had enough respect for their friendship to keep his trap shut. Sasuke leaned back against the soft pillows beneath him, trying not to jostle his aching, broken bones too much. Yes. Naruto was a good friend.

"I'll pay for your ramen for a month," Kakashi bribed.

Naruto's ears perked. "Make it two and we've got a deal."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

Naruto grinned. "Teme can't say it because he's afraid of losing her."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. Fuck that damn Hokage to hell.

"Losing her?" Kakashi asked, perplexed. He glanced out the sunny window in wonder. "He doesn't even _have _her."

"I know, I know," Naruto said, waving a hand in front of his face. "But he's scared if he says it, he'll wind up losing her."

Sasuke picked up his glass of water from the night stand and promptly threw at Naruto's bandaged head. Idiot couldn't keep a secret if his freaking life depended on it. That was damn sure.

"So that's what it is," Kakashi said slowly, pressing his fist into his hand in realization. "Aha." He pointed a finger up in the air. "That makes sense." He glanced at the brooding Uchiha. "That's kind of a risk you have to be willing to make, Sasuke."

Sasuke ground his teeth. They knew _nothing _of what he had been through. Fuck.

"You think that by exchanging a few fucking blows, you know me?" Sasuke snapped at Naruto.

Naruto blinked and shook his head. "It's okay to be afraid of losing love, Sasuke." His blue eyes softened at the edges. "You did experience it before, after all."

Sasuke was overwhelmed with the painful feeling of nostalgia. His chest ached, and it wasn't because Naruto had pummeled it so much. No, this pain was from the past of the Uchiha clan. His family. In one night, all of the love he had in his life was ripped to shreds because of a damn order Itachi got to save the village.

He wasn't going to live through that again. No matter what. He was _never _going to live through that again.

"Even if you don't say it," Naruto broke through his thoughts, "It doesn't make loving her any less true." He smiled kindly. "Or any less hard."

Sasuke took a deep breath. The idiot was right. Even if he didn't say it, he couldn't deny it. He couldn't keep running away. He looked to Kakashi and Naruto.

At this point, it was important for him to show it. Just like his talks with them before, he knew needed to get his feelings across through his actions. He needed to get used to loving her before he could say it to her.

"So..." Sasuke felt the blush creep on his cheeks and he turned his face away. "...what kind of flowers does she like?"

* * *

"I can't believe Sasuke-sama is here," Sakura heard one of the nurses, Sukui murmur outside of her office door.

"Oh, I_ know_," another giggled. Sakura tilted her head up and to the side so she could hear better. Was that Keishi? "But you know what they're saying..."

The head medical ninja rose from her desk silently and made her way to the door. She was going to slide it open and give those damn nosy shinobi a piece of her mind.

"Nani? Nani?" Sukui asked excitedly.

"Sakura-sama _rejected _him," Keishi whispered. "So now he's going to ask someone else to rebuild his clan."

Sakura pressed her ear to the door. If she was going to scold them, she might as well find out what she was scolding them about.

"Eh?" Sukui squealed. "Who?"

Sukui chuckled. "I don't know. But after being rejected by Sakura-sama, what other choice does he have?"

Sakura turned on her heel and made a beeline for her desk. There, sitting by the papers she had yet to read, was a small brown bag. She picked it up and made her way back to the door. She slid it open harshly.

As she suspected, there were the two nurses just chatting away outside of her office. Sakura glared.

"Don't you have people to tend to?" Sakura snapped.

With a unison, "Hai," the two hightailed it out of there. Sakura sighed and placed the brown bag on her hip as she walked. Damn chit-chat. Was it too much to ask for her love life to be kept out of the town gossip?

As Sakura walked down the long hallway, she peered in the bag. There were four apples inside, just as she had asked Hinata to get before she came to pick up Naruto. She may have discharged Naruto, but she refused to let Sasuke leave. She was, after all, still ticked off from the previous night's spat.

Sakura frowned. Could what they had even be called an argument? It was more of Sasuke being a stubborn ass and Sakura...

She blushed profusely. She had confessed yet again to him. It was something she hadn't done in such a long time. Of course, the first time she professed her love for him, he left the village immediately. So when Sakura told him she loved him, it was definitely out on a limb.

Still though, Sasuke had been a total ass to her the previous night. She already rejected him the week before. Telling her to rebuild his clan when his feelings hadn't changed only made his case worse. In fact, it just pissed the pink haired kunoichi off.

Did he really think she was going to rebuild his clan without hearing 'aishiteru?' He thought far too little of her. No way was she going to give in like that. She smirked. After all, she had three months to make him love her.

She turned into the room where the Hokage had previously been admitted to. She was instantly met with the blaring onyx eyes of Sasuke Uchiha. She sweat dropped. She was half hoping he would be asleep at that time of night...

"Were you starting to think I forgot about you?" Sakura half-joked, pulling the stool from where Kakashi had sat and yanking it to Sasuke's bed.

Sasuke didn't say anything. He just kept glaring.

Sakura sweat dropped. She supposed she deserved it. After all, she had let Naruto go after she fully healed him, but not Sasuke. But she was still irritated at him for the previous night. This was his punishment: a night at the hospital with a shit ton of broken bones preventing him from leaving.

"Look," Sakura sighed, biting her lower lip and holding out the brown bag full of apples. "A peace offering?"

He sharply turned his head away. Sakura pouted. This was not going as she had hoped. So with the stubborn Uchiha refusing to look at her, she broke out an apple and started peeling away the skin with a knife.

She had gotten much faster than she was when she was younger. Having more experience holding weapons and medical tools, she had to be fast with a blade. She smiled as the peel coiled.

"Do you remember?" Sakura asked quietly. "Whenever you'd come to the hospital when we were kids, I'd force feed you apples." She chuckled. "Do you even _like _apples?"

Sasuke glanced at her. She was finished with the peel and was now slicing them up and placing them on a plate.

"I won't force you to eat them," Sakura said calmly. "I actually just wanted to check up on you before I left for the night."

That was a lie. Sakura was going to pull an all night shift at the hospital to look through some more reports. It seemed the flu was coming their way and she needed to stock up on vaccinations. But Sasuke didn't need to know that.

Seeing that she had peeled and cut one apple, she shoved the bag under the side table. Sasuke was a big boy. He could handle the rest if he wanted more.

Sakura stood to leave. She started walking back toward the door when a single word stopped her.

"Sakura."

Sakura didn't take a step further. She let Sasuke get a good long look at her back. He looked up at her, waiting for her to turn around. She did not disappoint. The moment he saw those beautiful jade eyes, he knew what he had to say.

One word. It was as simple as that. That's all he had to get out to make her his.

"Gomen."

Sakura smiled. It wasn't the word she was looking for, but it was the one she needed to hear. She nodded.

"Arigatou, Sasuke," she replied.

With that she walked out the door and away from the man who held her heart.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Uchiha Sasuke felt extremely out of place. With all of the magnolias and lilies he was surrounded by, it was definitely an odd feeling for him. On top of that, it seemed like Yamanaka-san's eyes were popping out of her head. Was it really that strange that he was in Yamanaka Hana? Sasuke was just lucky Ino wasn't there. If she had been, he knew the fact that he went to her flower shop would reach Sakura's ears before he could give the damn plant to her.

He had been discharged from the hospital after he had...ahem, _persuaded _one of the staff to heal him on the spot. He hadn't bothered to stop in at Sakura's office before he left to ask her why she hadn't let him leave the day before. He figured it was probably just her way of punishing him for that night. He frowned. While he was still set on his goal to make her his wife, he knew he had to do things a different way.

Kakashi and Naruto weren't sure what Sakura's favorite flower was. They did have the somewhat good idea of simply getting _her _flower. Sakura blossoms. It was simple. It was sweet. It was something she'd like.

"K-Konnichiwa," Yamanaka-san said coming up to him. Her smile was awkward to look at. "C-Could I help you with something, Uchiha-sama?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Ah. I'm looking for sakura."

Yamanaka-san blushed. "I-I haven't seen her. Have you checked the hospital—?"

"I'm not talking about her," Sasuke interrupted, turning his face away from the poor woman.

"S-Sōka," Yamanaka-san stuttered. "Th-then the flower?"

Sasuke looked at her. "Hai. The flower."

Yamanaka-san nodded and motioned for him to follow her. "We keep the floral trees in the back." She scratched her cheek nervously. "W-Would you like to see?"

"Hai," Sasuke said. "Arigatou."

He followed her past the other shoppers, ignoring their looks of astonishment at his arrival in the shop. He couldn't help but feel annoyed. He had as much right being there as anyone else did. Why were they looking at him like that? Couldn't he purchase flowers without everyone looking at him like he had two heads?

Yamanaka-san led him through the back. He saw Inoichi, who he briefly waved to. He could be polite to Ino's family. They were close to Sakura's heart, and in turn they would be close to his heart. No matter _how _irritating he found their daughter to be.

But, when he passed Inoichi and found Sai working just beyond him, he couldn't help but do a double take. What was _he _doing there?_  
_

"Ah, traitor!" Sai said cheerfully, placing the flowers he had been arranging down and leaping over the table to properly greet Sasuke. "What can we do for you?"

Yamanaka-san looked between Sasuke and Sai. "W-Would you like to help him with sakura?"

Sai tilted his head. "Having issues again?"

"The flower," Yamanaka-san giggled, patting her future son in law on the back. "I'll leave you to it then. I'll attend to the front."

She walked away, kissing Inoichi on the cheek before slipping beyond the door to the front of the store. Sai nodded at Sasuke and motioned for him to follow him.

"So what brings you here?" Sai asked politely. "I heard what happened with Naruto yesterday from Kakashi." He smiled. "Sakura-san must have been very irritated."

Sasuke tightened his jaw. "I was just working out something with Naruto."

Sai nodded, holding open the back door for Sasuke. "I understand the two of you have sexual desires for one another, but you really should stop this nonsense. Naruto has a wife—"

Sasuke's fist was on Sai's head before he could finish his sentence. "Urusai, baka."

Sai pointed to the sakura tree next to the dogwood tree. "Normally we let our guest pick the branches that they would like and then we retrieve it, but..." He eyed Sasuke. "I have a feeling you would like to pick it yourself."

Sasuke, without saying anything, began his short journey up the tree. He looked from branch to branch, trying to find the perfect one for her. Pink flooded his eyes, and he felt like he was in a sea of her hair. He took a deep breath and was surrounded by her scent. It made sense, after all. She did often come to the Yamanaka Hana shop to visit with Ino. Still though, it surprised him how overwhelming the aroma of sakura was.

"Try not to get a boner up there," Sai said kindly, noticing the Uchiha's change in behavior. "It'd be a bit awkward for my future in-laws."

Sasuke clicked his tongue in irritation. Damn it, Sai. Couldn't he see he was trying to find the perfect flower for her? As of that moment, that was his mission. That was all he could think about. But then, there, at the very top of the tree, at the very peek where the sun was shining down on it, was the most beautiful batch of sakura blossoms Sasuke had ever seen. He set his sight on it. He just had to climb a bit further for it and—ah, there.

His fingers wrapped around the branch and he broke it off as gently as possible. But as he did so, one flower spun off, away from the others. It flew with the breeze until it landed on his lips. He touched it.

It was like her kiss. He closed his eyes. It was _just _like her kiss. Soft and tender, barely there so you had to catch it with your fingers before it could escape. Gentle and sweet. Simple, yet complex from the passion attached to it. Sasuke, suddenly realizing what he was doing, held the flower out and away from him, allowing the wind to pick it up out of his hands.

He smirked. While he let that sakura escape his grasp, he wouldn't let _her _run from him so easily.

* * *

"Thank you so much for checking on Naruto," Hinata gushed, placing her hand on her sleeping husband's forehead. "He's been sleeping like this since he came home yesterday."

Sakura laughed and scratched the back of her head. "I'm just surprised he slept through the whole check up." She folded her arms. "But that's just like him, isn't it?"

Hinata's smile turned from sweet to a smile Sakura was positive only Naruto was allowed to see. Sakura blushed and turned her face away. She couldn't help but feel a bit envious of Hinata in that moment. Naruto was a really great guy, and if Hinata hadn't swooped in, Sakura was positive he'd still be pining away for her. Hinata was so in love with Naruto, it surprised her at times. But they were two women who would do anything for the men they loved. They were just kindred spirits that way.

"You'll let me know when he wakes up?" Sakura asked gently.

"O-Of course," Hinata said, not tearing her gaze away from her husband. "Ah." It was only then that she looked at Sakura. "How is Sasuke-kun? I hope he's feeling better."

"He left the hospital before I had a chance to ask him this morning," Sakura said, "One of my subordinates, Kusushi, managed to do a decent job on him, I hear." She chuckled. "Apparently Sasuke trapped him in his sharingan to make him do what he wanted."

Hinata sweat dropped. Well, that was one way of getting things done.

"So you have no idea what got them to try to kill each other?" Sakura asked.

Hinata smiled. She knew. Naruto had told her when she brought him home. He had told her that in secrecy though. So the only thing she could do for Sakura was tell the truth.

"G-Gomen, Sakura-chan," Hinata said apologetically.

Sakura sighed. So Hinata didn't know either. She shook her head.

She would never understand why those two had to beat each other up in order to sort through their problems. Why couldn't they solve their disputes like her and Ino? Backstabbing, hair pulling and healthy competition...Sakura laughed to herself. Now that she thought about it, maybe they weren't so different at dealing with things after all.

"How're the plans coming with the festival, Hinata?" Sakura asked her. "You get the bakery to take your orders?"

The dark haired woman nodded enthusiastically. "H-Hai. Everything is set." She blushed and started fiddling with her fingers. "Th-This is the first time I get to wear the Namikaze kimono. It was the same one Naruto's mother wore when she was married to Minato-otou-san."

Sakura grinned. "Oh my. That's a huge honor."

"H-Hai!" Hinata whispered excitedly. "I-I can't wait for Naruto to see me in it. I-I've had a-alternations made in it so I can represent the Hyuga clan as well, but i-it should be wonderful."

Sakura took Hinata's hand in hers and nodded. "You're going to shine beautifully in it, Hinata."

Hinata blushed and glanced at the sleeping Naruto. She bit her lower lip. "W-Would you like to see it, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows as the Uzumaki bride slid away from Naruto and made her way to one of the two closets. She threw open the doors quietly and rummaged through. Hidden behind some of her day to day wear and formal wear for the Hyuga clan's traditions, was a beautiful kimono. Sakura rose from her chair and stood by Hinata's side. She glanced at her friend's beaming face.

It was no doubt Hinata was proud. Sakura watched as she ran her fingers over the Uzumaki and Namikaze clan symbols. But there, just below but equally as prominent, was the Hyuga clan symbol.

"It has been altered throughout the years," Hinata explained kindly. "With Kushina's marriage to Minato, she had to make it so her clan could be represented as well." She covered her heart with her hand. "And so I have done the same with the Hyuga clan."

Sakura was quiet as she asked, "Has Naruto seen it?"

Hinata pressed the kimono behind her clothing once again and slowly shut the closet doors. She shook her head and had a smile almost like a child's when they had a secret they were dying to tell but knew they couldn't.

"Oh, Hinata," Sakura purred. "He's going to love it."

"I sewed the Hyuga clan symbol on myself," Hinata murmured, her blush deepening.

Sakura was touched. Such a love for her beloved Naruto...Sakura couldn't contain herself.

"Hinata, he will love it," she repeated.

Hinata, never one to dwell on herself for too long, looked at Sakura shyly. "And you? Will you be wearing the Uchiha clan kimono?"

Sakura blinked. She hadn't thought of that. Her own kimono had burned down in the fire at her apartment. She had nothing to wear to the festival and it would be highly inappropriate for her to wear anything but a kimono. She was, after all, one of the three Sannin that were the pride of Konoha.

But she couldn't very well ask Sasuke for his clan's kimono. That was too precious to him and she was positive it held a lot of memories of his mother. While she could borrow anything else from Mikoto, she knew the one thing she would not ask for would be her kimono.

"Ah," Sakura laughed uncomfortably. "A-Ano..."

Hinata peered at Sakura. "Hai?"

"W-Well," Sakura laughed awkwardly, "I-I'm going to be working that day."

Hinata blinked. "N-Nani?"

"Ah, with the festival and everything, the hospital will be poorly staffed," Sakura bullshitted, "So I won't be going."

Hinata frowned. "D-Demo..." She was disappointed. "Naruto and I were going to do the Hokage's dance together. You must come for that, at least."

Sakura smiled sadly. "I-I'll watch it from the hospital roof."

Feeling uncomfortable, Sakura explained to her very quickly that she had to leave. But as Hinata watched Sakura's back, she couldn't help but frown. Maybe she needed to make another visit to the Uchiha residence...

* * *

So here the great Uchiha was. Outside of the butsudan, waiting around for Sakura to come out so he could give her the flowers. He would hand them to her and then leave immediately before she could embarrass him with squealing. There was no way she could misinterpret his intentions. She would take the blossoms, realize that he loved her and they'd commence with the rebuilding of the Uchiha clan right then and there in the hallway.

There was no way this could go wrong.

He leaned against the wall, hearing Sakura murmur her respectful words to his deceased family members. He shifted uncomfortably. He hadn't visited the butsudan since it randomly appeared when he returned to Konoha. It was too strange for him. He didn't know who had made it in his house, but he wasn't going to talk to his deceased family like that. Besides, there was too much he had to tell them that a feeble fifteen minutes per day with them wasn't going to make up for lost time.

Still, he had to hand it to the pink haired kunoichi. She had more dedication than he did to paying respects to his family. Whenever he looked at their photos, mixed emotions would bubble up. The anger of his past revenge would sometimes surface, and Sasuke really wasn't ready to deal with that demon quite yet. But Sakura, having no ties with that horror, could pay her respects just fine.

He grinned. Such were the duties of a wife. they weren't even married and she was doing it right. But until he was ready to face his family, Sakura would have to pay respects for the both of them.

"Ah?" Sakura asked as she stepped out of the room. "Sasuke? What is that in your—?"

He watched as her jade eyes widened. He suppressed a grin. Yes. These flowers were for her. He personally chose and plucked them just for her. He was ready for his praise now. He was ready for her to gush about him and fawn over his sheer manliness.

"Oh, Sasuke," Sakura said breathlessly, "You shouldn't have..." She reached for the branch, her fingers brushing against his in the process. He shoved his shiver away. "This is so wonderful."

Sasuke felt his feathers being primped and absolutely loved it. Yes, he was fantastic. Yes, he was a sex-god. Now, Haruno Sakura, bow down before him and accept his proposal. He was ready. He was ready for her to accept him and show him her love.

"This is the nicest thing I have ever...Oh, _Sasuke..._"

Sasuke closed his eyes to keep his emotions in check. He wanted to hear what she had to say. Was she was sorry for rejecting him? Had she realized she is willing to bear his children? Maybe she'd skip all of that and tell him that she loved him and would kiss him again. That sounded _very _good to him. And once she was done showing him her appreciation, he'd push her up against the wall and have his way with her. He'd get right back on rebuilding the Uchiha clan with her.

"Sasuke," Sakura said softly, "Arigatou."

He opened his eyes to observe her blushing face. He smirked.

"Hn."

Oh yeah. He was awesome. He knew it.

"They will _love _these."

Sasuke stopped his inner Uchiha parade. _They?_

"Oh Sasuke," Sakura gushed, motioning for him to follow her back into the butsuden. "This is _such _a beautiful gesture!" She smiled as he followed her in. "Come, come!" She clapped her hands twice before bowing to his family members in their photos. "Minna-san, look at what Sasuke-kun brought you!"

Sasuke nearly fell over. _That's _what she thought he had got the flowers for? A freaking offering?

Sakura, knowing all too well that Sasuke didn't like a big show of things, motioned for him to take his turn. She winked at him. Sakura had already had about thirty minutes with his family. It was time for him to have some privacy. She bowed once more and got up to leave. It was her pleasure to leave him alone with his family. After all, he had gotten such gorgeous flowers for them as an apology for never paying his respects.

She giggled and made her way back to her bedroom. Sasuke really was surprisingly sweet when he wanted to be.

In the meantime, Sasuke was trying his hardest not to yell in anger. Damn it all. He frowned as he placed the sakura blossoms on his family's mantel. He clapped his hands twice and bowed.

"Look," he said stoically, "I know I don't really come around very often." He glanced at the flowers. "And I'm sure you're well aware that those flowers are for Sakura." He grimaced. "But if you wouldn't mind somehow convincing her to help me rebuild the Uchiha clan, that'd be a great help."

He nodded once at his family and stood. He was rightfully pissed. All of that damn advice Kakashi, Naruto and Sai gave him was for nothing if Sakura was too oblivious to realize when he was making a romantic gesture. Attempt number one at showing Haruno Sakura that he loved her was a fail.

A big, epic fail. _Fuck._

* * *

"Ah?" Sakura asked as she entered the kitchen. "You're cooking, Sasuke?"

He gave her a curt nod before moving to wash the rice. The had only been living together for a little over a week, but Sasuke was growing used to her presence. He was feeling the need to eat together more often. It was something his mother used to emphasize when he was little. Even though they were ninja, she was determined to keep family life as normal as possible.

"Would you like help?" Sakura asked, moving close to him at the sink.

He dumped out the water and started putting the rice in the rice cooker. He was still irritated from earlier. How the hell did she get the idea that those flowers were an offering to his family? They were sakura blossom. _Her _flower. How couldn't she understand?_  
_

His anger faded when he saw her washing her hands, wiping them off and reaching for the chopping board above. She couldn't quite get it. He placed the pot of washed rice down and stood behind her. He was a bit taller, so reaching it wasn't a problem. His fingers clutched the board and he drew it down.

Back to his chest, Sakura felt her face heat up. He held it out in front of her. She took it with her trembling hands and swallowed.

"Arigatou," she murmured.

"Hn," Sasuke hummed, pulling away, the warmth from his body disappearing from Sakura's back as he did so. "Start chopping the mushrooms, onions and celery."

He motioned to the two bags he had on the counter. Sakura nodded and did as he asked. She made sure the bag was finely chopped before looking back to Sasuke, who was now simmering peanut oil in a small pan. She made her way toward him, positioning herself by his side as she handed the chopped ingredients to him. As she looked over his shoulder, she noticed he already placed the meat in. He threw the vegetables in as well, making sure they weren't touching the meat.

"Arigatou, Sakura," Sasuke said softly.

Sakura smiled. "Hai, hai. It's very important to help when in the kitchen." She paused. "Would you mind if I used some of the rice once it's done?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Ah."

He didn't know what that woman was planning, but he would allow her to use anything so long as it made her happy. He watched over another pot that held the miso soup he was making. It was finished, all that was left was to add the cooked tofu and vegetables he had previously prepared.

"Stir this," Sasuke commanded, handing her the wooden paddle he had in his hand.

He reached for the cooked tofu in a side bowl and let it fall into the miso soup. He hadn't realized he was rushing it until it was too late. The hot liquid splattered on his hand and he frowned.

"Ah," Sakura said worriedly, dropping the paddle and reaching for his hand.

She drew it to her lips before he realized what was going on. He felt her warm tongue flick over the small burn and he tried to suppress a blush. He looked at her, waiting for her eyes to open. But they were closed, like she was savoring the taste of the soup. Was it wrong to be so envious of the soup on his hand?

"Oishi," she murmured as she slowly pulled her mouth away from his hand.

As he let his fingers brush his side, Sakura went back to stirring like nothing had happened. She may have appeared that way, but deep down inside she was cheering herself on. Kurenai said there were plenty of opportunities in the kitchen to be had, but she hadn't realized how right the woman was until she tried it out for herself.

She glanced over at Sasuke who was now running cool water over his burn. She pouted as he grabbed the soap. Did he really not like it? Would she have to try a different tactic? Little did she know, Sasuke was washing away the tingling sensation from his fingers. He had to _get it off_. He couldn't focus. He couldn't breathe.

What the hell was that? Seriously. What the _hell? _He scrubbed hard against his skin. She just kissed his hand like it was _nothing_. It wasn't nothing to the Uchiha. He could barely hide his desire for her. But he had to restrain himself. They had just gotten back on good terms again after the day before. He wasn't going to screw it up by losing control of himself.

He looked back over to Sakura. She was now bent over, her ass facing him so he could see just how in shape it was. Sasuke tensed.

"Mou, Sasuke," Sakura called, her voice sweet as honey. She looked through the lower cabinets, "Where do you keep your serving plates?"

Sasuke swallowed. First she kisses his hand, and now this? Was that damn kunoichi trying to kill him? Aggressively, he moved behind her, reaching for the cabinet with the serving plates and swung them open. He turned his head sharply away so she wouldn't see his blush.

"Here," he said, tapping the cabinet. "Down here."

"Ah," Sakura said, walking over and bending down to reach in the cabinet. "Arigatou."

Only when she reached down, her shirt just _happened _to peek open enough for him to see the distinct line of cleavage she had. He winced and cursed himself for bothering to look down. He clenched his fists until she rose to a stand. She cheerfully held up a platter and walked over to the table.

Sasuke walked to the stove, hoping and praying that the food was finished. Seeing both dishes seemingly done, Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. Who knew cooking could be such torture?

* * *

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura moaned, twisting in the sheets. "Onegai...matte..."

Saskue's eyebrow twitched.

"Sasuke-kun," she panted, her fingers running over his thighs.

Her touch was burning him. It was like fire was erupting from her palms into his core. He hissed. Those _damn_ nightmares of hers. Sasuke growled. This was ridiculous. She wasn't even awake and her hands were all over him. Did she realize how many of the privileged few got to enter his personal space? _None_. No one touched him there. He made damn sure of it, too.

The last time Karin had tried to seduce him, he practically snapped her neck off. If a sword against her navel wasn't enough of a signal for her to leave him the hell alone, he didn't know what was. Needless to say, she never tried that again. No, he made sure that area was specifically meant for Haruno Sakura.

Sakura's face was wet and pressed up against his chest. Her nose was dug deep inside of his shoulder, keeping her crying face from his sight. He needed to wake her up, but he didn't want to startle her. He couldn't do what he had done before and kiss her awake. No, in their current position, she'd wake up before he had the chance to press his lips against hers and then she'd realize what he'd done. Sasuke wouldn't be able to take advantage of her again. In fact, if he kissed her again, he'd probably lose all restraint. No, he'd have to wake her up a different way.

"Sakura," he murmured, his lips pressing against her silky ear. "Wake up. It's just a nightmare."

Sakura, however, wasn't going to be pulled away from her nightmare so easily. She was still turning in the sheets, her legs entwined with his. He glared, his sharingan now flaring. He wasn't one to be ignored. No way in hell was this nightmare winning over him.

"Sakura," he growled. "Wake up."

Her jade eyes shot open, looking into his own with utmost terror. He tightened his jaw as a final tear slid down her cheek. She was so scared, so frightened of something. Something he did. Was it the times he tried to kill her or Naruto? Was it the time she tried to kill him but couldn't?

Regardless, he should have realized sooner she was having yet another nightmare. Sasuke silently stewed in the guilty feeling of not noticing quicker what she was going through. If he really wanted to show her he loved her, he needed to pay more attention to her needs.

Sasuke sighed, and let his fingers run through her pink hair. "I'll get you a glass of water."

He started to pull away from her, but her arms worked their way around him. Her soft cheek was now pressed to his firm back as she trembled. He felt her breasts pressed against his back, no binding keeping him from feeling her hard nipples against his skin. The clothing she was wearing was barely enough to keep her warm, let alone hide those delectable morsels.

"Don't go," she managed to get out through her sobs, her shoulders shaking. "Don't...don't leave me."

Sasuke's resolve broke, hearing the fear and desire in her voice. He shot his gaze over his shoulder to look down at her. Her emerald eyes were still wide and frightened. This felt nostalgic to him. Her fingers hovering over his muscular chest sank deep inside of his heart. Her shaking arms holding him, and the fear...

He recognized that fear. It was the same look she had when he had gone off the deep end at the Chuunin exams. She had been the one to stop him. She had been the one to embrace him when everyone else feared him. Even still, she was not afraid of him. No matter how many people he had killed on his path for revenge, she had never feared him.

He wordlessly sank his legs back into the sheets and she let him turn to face her. She still had her arms wrapped him. It was like she was afraid if she didn't at least touch him somewhere, he was going to disappear into the night.

"Don't go," Sakura pleaded. "Stay."

Sasuke tensed and nodded. "Ah."

Sakura, hearing that he was going to stay, sighed. She was relieved. She couldn't handle him leaving. She couldn't handle facing his back after that recurring nightmare. She couldn't keep reliving through the pain of watching him turn his back on his friends...from turning his back on her.

She couldn't take it. She couldn't let her heart break all over again.

"Don't go," she repeated tiredly as Sasuke placed his hand on her head and encouraging her to rest on him. "Don't leave me..."

But deep down inside, she knew no matter how hard she pleaded, he wouldn't stay. That no matter what she said, if Sasuke was going to leave, he would leave her without a second thought. He had already done it before. He had just left her on a bench in the middle of the night. He didn't care that he was betraying the village. He didn't care that he was crushing her heart. All he had eyes for at the time was revenge.

But now it was different. He had a reason to stay by her side. And even if Sakura didn't know it, Sasuke sure as hell did. He wasn't leaving her. He had found himself a new goal to set his sights on. And with Sasuke, once he had a goal, he wasn't going to stop until it had been accomplished.

And without a second thought, just as he had done when he left the village, he found himself whispering the words she should have heard back then.

"...I'll stay."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Uchiha Sasuke wasn't one to sleep in. In fact, he never slept in. Ever. He was always up at the crack of dawn, gearing up for training, making breakfast, and heading out the door before Sakura ever opened her eyes. So when he woke up with the sunlight against his eyelids, he was shocked, to say the least, to find her gone.

It hadn't been an unpleasant experience. He had to admit that this change of pace was preferable to his usual, exhausting routine. But the one thing he had been hoping for had slipped out of his fingers before he could wake up. He rolled over and wrapped his arms around the pillow Sakura had slept on when she wasn't clinging to him. He inhaled deeply and sighed.

Her scent. It was fresh. Just like the sakura blossoms he had picked for her the other day, it was soft and sweet. A barely noticeable aroma. Yet still there. Taking him on an emotional roller coaster ride he was still not used to. He tilted his head away from the delicious scent. He couldn't handle it. He smirked, silently reprimanded himself for acting like a little school girl.

He shook his head, trying to get rid of his thoughts of Sakura. He frowned. She had left before him that morning. How unusual. Granted, she did spend the majority of the night trapped in his embrace, but he didn't think she would sneak out of bed without him even noticing. Normally the Uchiha was more aware than that.

He glared at the pillow he was holding. He should have been more careful. He couldn't let his guard down around her. After all, she was still a fellow ninja and a let-down guard was a sign of weakness. His gaze softened as he closed his eyes. She was so vulnerable the previous night though. He couldn't help but comfort her.

Sasuke swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rubbed his shoulders. Sleeping with Sakura definitely made him tense. His emotions were going crazy. Having her head up against his chest, her begging him to stay...He pressed the back of his wrist to his nose, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. It was enough to make him flip her on her back and make her his right then and there.

But he had to go about things slowly. He had already screwed it up badly enough, he didn't need to mess their potential relationship up further. But he had no idea what he was doing. He had never taken an interest in a woman before. He had tried giving her flowers, but that had been a total catastrophe.

What else did he need to do? Chocolates? He was pretty sure the last time she got chocolates, she was irritated. Naruto had offered them to her, in assumption that she was on her cycle, and tried to give her the chocolate as a comfort food. She promptly beat the crap out of him.

So chocolates were a no go.

He glanced at her dresser. He had broken her vibrator. Maybe he could get her one. Ch. Sasuke shook his head. He couldn't do that. She'd think he was a pervert or something.

No. This required finesse. A certain delicate touch. He needed something more. He needed something extreme to show her how he felt about her. He rolled his eyes and stood from the bed. He stretched out his back. He'd think of something. He was an Uchiha after all.

He walked out of the main bedroom and down the hall, toward the butsudan Sakura was so attentive to. He wasn't really keen on making offerings or talking to his dead family members, but it couldn't hurt to ask them for help, could it?

He bowed slightly as he entered the room. He knelt before his dead family members and opened his mouth to start talking. But as he laid his eyes on Itachi, he noticed something. In front of each photo, on small plates, were three rice balls. Sasuke's brow furrowed.

Sakura had mentioned that she wanted to use some of the rice he had made last night...He picked one up and looked at it. Was this what she had wanted to do with them?

She really was dedicated to his family. She wasn't even his, and she was paying her respects every day to them. Sasuke smiled. He pressed his fingers to his forehead, covering his face with his palm. He let out a laugh. Sakura really was something, wasn't she?

He placed the rice ball back on the small plate and continued his laughter. He couldn't stop. He just couldn't stop laughing. He looked up toward the ceiling and let out a sigh. How could he just let her walk away? How could he let her just reject him? She knew him better than he knew himself.

Sasuke was starting to realize how much he loved her. And, he had to admit, it was a little scary. The last time he had felt such happiness, he lost the people most precious to him. But he couldn't walk away. Sasuke clenched his fists. He wasn't going to let her slip through his finger tips like sand. He would hold on. He would learn how to treat her the way she deserved to be treated.

He was going to make sure he never lost her. He was going to show her each and every day how much he truly loved her. He would force every fiber of her being to realize that he loved her more than life itself. Even if he couldn't say the words just yet, he would make her know. He would show it.

After all, Uchiha Sasuke was a man of action and he _always _got what he wanted.

* * *

Haruno Sakura felt a chill run down her spine. She frowned. She didn't know what that was about...maybe someone was thinking of her?

"Mou, Sakura-chan," Naruto complained, arms folded as he sat at his desk, "I'm fine! I'm fine!"

Sakura's temple throbbed. "Just sit down and let me inspect you, damn it." She unraveled the bandages he had around his chest and gingerly touched the bruises. "You seem to be healing nicely."

Naruto pouted and glared at his old teammate. "Why don't you just heal me completely? Then you won't have to check up on me."

Sakura laughed. "I can't do that, Naruto. Some things just need to heal by themselves." She winked. "Besides, it's punishment for not telling me what you and Sasuke were arguing about."

Naruto scratched his cheek thoughtfully. On one hand, he wanted to assure her that Sasuke did have feelings for her. He wouldn't have gone through all that trouble to talk to the team seven males if he hadn't. On the other hand, he wanted Sakura to discover it herself. Sasuke needed to say it on his own terms.

"Gomen, Sakura-chan," Naruto chuckled nervously as she pressed on each bruise lightly to make sure they were healing properly. "But I can't tell you."

Sakura sighed and let her fingers glow a bit to make sure his bones were aligned. "I know, Naruto." She smiled. "A secret between men, yeah?"

Naruto grinned. "Yeah."

Sakura started re-wrapping the bandage around his torso. "Just let me know one thing." Naruto looked at her. "You two worked it out, right?"

Naruto rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Not exactly."

Sakura's smile faded. "What do you mean?"

Naruto leaned back in his chair. "It's kind of something he has to work out himself, you know?"

She nodded. "Right. Well." She blushed and started securing the wrap. "If there's anything I can do to help him, you'll let me know?"

Naruto's eyes widened. Sakura still loved him, that much he knew. But what Naruto had known was how slowly their relationship was progressing. He grimaced. If they couldn't learn to talk to one another about their problems, then maybe their budding relationship wasn't as secure as he was hoping it would be.

"I think that's a request for Sasuke to hear," Naruto mumbled bashfully.

Sakura shook her head. "He won't listen."

"He will."

Sakura was surprised at Naruto's tone. His faith in his best friend was still as strong as ever. She sighed and patted her hands together.

"Just talk to him," Naruto pressed. "He'll listen. He always does."

Sakura smiled sadly. Just because Sasuke never really talked much to her didn't mean he listened. Just because he was quiet, didn't mean he heard what she was saying. It didn't mean he heard what she meant.

"You'd tell me though, ne?" Sakura pushed.

Naruto sighed. "Yeah. I'd tell you." Naruto paused. "The teme's treating you right, yeah?"

Sakura bit her lower lip. "Well, he hasn't killed me yet, has he?" Sakura sighed. "Sometimes I feel like I'm not getting anywhere with him. I mean, I went to Kurenai to ask her about seduction missions—"

"I'm not sending you on one!" Naruto growled. "You can't make me!"

Sakura blinked. "I-I'm not asking you to."

Naruto let out an exhale. If there were two people in the village he would _never _in a _million _years send on a seduction mission, it was Hinata and Sakura. He couldn't send Hinata because she was his wife. Like _hell _he'd let anyone see her sexy side. And Sakura...Naruto shuddered. For one, she was like his sister. And two...

Sasuke would _literally _kill him if he ever sent her out on a seduction mission. Naruto shuddered. He was not going be dealing with an Uchiha's wrath. No way, no how.

"So you asked Kurenai about seduction missions?" Naruto asked, shaking off the idea of his sister going out and sleeping with the enemy.

"Mhmm," Sakura said. "She gave me some tips and suggestions for Sasuke."

Naruto let out a laugh. She had to be joking. He looked up at her serious face. She wasn't joking?

"G-Gomen, gomen," Naruto chuckled, wiping a tear away from his eyes. "But Sasuke...being seduced..." Sakura tensed. "Does he even have a penis? I mean, he never showed an interest in women before..."

Sakura's temple throbbed. Well that was irritating. Was Naruto doubting her abilities as a woman or second guessing Sasuke's ability as a man?

"You don't think I can?" Sakura asked, cracking her knuckles.

"I-It's not that—"

"You don't think I have sex appeal?"

"S-Sakura-chan—"

Sakura huffed and waited for Naruto's explanation. He didn't disappoint.

"I don't think it's impossible," Naruto said slowly, "But I think you're gonna have to lay it on thick. I know Hinata did with me for the longest time."

Sakura flicked his forehead lightly. "That's because you're an idiot."

"Oi," Naruto growled.

"Hinata told me you're doing the Hokage's dance together," Sakura said, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I just feel bad because I keep stepping on her toes," Naruto laughed.

Sakura giggled. "Anything's better than last year. I still can't believe you set Tsunade-shishou on fire!"

"I hear she's wearing a fireproof kimono this year," Naruto cheekily said.

"I'm _glad_," Sakura emphasized as she leaned on the Hokage's desk. "I'd rather not have a burnt Tsunade-shishou in the hospital again. She was so difficult to deal with last time."

Sakura sighed exasperatedly at the memory of Tsunade screaming about the incompetence of the medical staff serving her. She was only in the hospital for an hour, but she had really ripped Sakura a new one.

"Ch, yeah," Naruto said sheepishly. "Hinata made sure there won't be any flames near me the entire night." He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "We're good."

Sakura chuckled. "I'm sure the whole village will be more than happy to hear that, Naruto."

* * *

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. The Uzumaki bride sat in front of him, her hands neatly folded in her lap. She had a genuine smile plastered on her face that just screamed that she wanted him to do something for her. So Sasuke waited for her to say it.

He could wait. She was, after all, in his office.

"Sasuke-kun," Hinata finally spoke, "Do you realize that there is a festival coming up in a few days?"

Sasuke smirked. How could he forget? The police station was all up in a buzz about their portion of the entertainment and making sure the fireworks would go off safely. That and making sure Naruto wouldn't set anyone on fire ever again.

"Hn," Sasuke hummed, thumbing through a file.

"I'm assuming you're attending," Hinata said politely.

"Ah," Sasuke said. "I wouldn't want to miss Naruto making a fool of himself."

Hinata sweat dropped. While she didn't appreciate it when people made fun of her husband, she found out throughout the years that his and Sasuke's banter was just playful. It was almost a derogatory encouragement they gave each other. She let it slide.

"You have robes to wear?" Hinata continued. "I just showed Sakura my kimono the other day. Sh-She seemed to love it." She started fiddling with her fingers. "Naruto hasn't seen it yet, so I'm excited to wear it for him."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He just wanted her to get on with it. She wanted something from him. While he was grateful she had given him something very valuable to the Uchiha clan, his patience was wearing thin with the shy woman.

"D-Do you realize that all of her things burned down in the fire?" Hinata asked quietly, her lavender eyes never averting from Sasuke's cold stare.

Sasuke leaned back in his swivel chair. Finally, she was going to reveal the heart of the matter to him. It was about time. He really hated how she couldn't just spit things out. He supposed it was a good thing though, in contrast to Naruto. While his best friend was painfully blunt at times, Hinata was often more tactful in situations that required delicacy.

"I'm aware," Sasuke said in response to her question.

"Th-Then are you aware that she's p-planning on spending the entire day in the hospital?" Hinata continued. "Sh-She doesn't have a kimono to wear and it would b-be highly inappropriate for her to appear at the f-festival without one."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow up. So? Couldn't Sakura just purchase one? He frowned. But that somehow didn't feel right. Haruno Sakura was used to wearing robes worthy of a Sannin. With such a short amount of time to prepare, she couldn't get something in time.

"I-I think you u-understand wh-what I'm saying, Sasuke-kun," Hinata said shyly.

The Uchiha stared at her. He let a true smile blossom on his face. "Ah."

Hinata, surprised by the sudden kindness of Sasuke, blushed. She was very sure that only one woman in the world could drag that response out of him. She felt like she was intruding by witnessing that expression. It was like walking in on a private moment between lovers.

That was something she was all too familiar with. The first few times Naruto and Hinata made love on the Hokage's desk, his subordinates made the mistake several times of transporting in just as they were about to climax. Needless to say, word through Konoha traveled fast. Lesson learned? Always knock on the Hokage's door.

And as she looked at Sasuke's tender lips, she couldn't help but feel like Iruka-sensei who had been the first to pop in on their love making session. Hinata had been skeptical of Sasuke's ability to love when Naruto assured her that Sasuke would open up eventually. Sure enough, his facade was cracking. The mask he wore to protect himself was falling to pieces and his sheer joy was peeking through.

"Th-Then I expect to see her a-at the festival," Hinata whispered, standing from her seat.

Sasuke rose as a form of respect. She was, after all, the Hokage's wife and his best friend's girl. But on top of all of that, she was doing him favor after favor. Maybe they'd have a sit down conversation one of these days with Sasuke approaching her. He thought to himself. She wasn't terrible company when she spoke. He could handle it.

Sasuke walked around the desk and walked to the double doors. He opened one side for her to walk through.

As she did so, she paused. "Y-You know, Sasuke-kun." He looked down at the petite woman. "I-I think y-you should smile more." She averted her gaze. "You look very handsome when y-you do."

Sasuke smirked and leaned down. "Don't let the dobe hear you say that." Hinata blushed. "He might get jealous."

Hinata paled. "O-Oh, I d-didn't mean it like that, I just m-meant th-that—"

Sasuke gave her a look. Oh. He was just teasing her. She blinked. Did that mean she was growing on him? Was it a similar form of the teasing he gave Naruto?

"Arigatou, Hinata," Sasuke said as she walked past him.

She turned to look at him. Her smile brightened. She was glad to be of use to Naruto and Sasuke. And perhaps her meddlesome ways would, in turn, help Sakura through this journey.

"H-Hai!"

* * *

"Oh," Sakura groaned, flopping on the stool in Ichiraku Ramen. "That's it. No more operations. I am _done._" She sighed and let her head fall to the counter. "God damn Ino with her stupid mission..."

While Sakura didn't like to admit it, whenever Ino went away for a mission, she always felt her operations were severely lacking in good staff. It was like she was doing entire surgeries on her own. And while, yes, she was clearly capable of pulling them off without a second thought, it irritated her until no end. She was the head of the hospital, not a _slave _to it.

"Sakura," Teuchi said cheerfully, "What can I get you?"

"One large bowl of ramen," Sakura sighed tiredly. "And make it quick, please."

"Hai, hai!" he laughed cheerfully.

Sakura sighed, her forehead aching against the hard surface of the counter. Fuck. She was drained. In a perfect world, everyone would get their check ups before and after missions as advised and the staff would be able to follow her damn orders without asking her what the hell was going on. She clenched her fists.

"H-Haruno-san?" a female voice asked.

Sakura crookedly turned her exhausted self to look at Temari. She raised her head and laughed awkwardly. Well, that was uncomfortable.

"T-Temari-san," Sakura chuckled shyly. "H-How is your adjustment to Konoha?" She leaned back in her chair. "Is everything going well?"

Temari smiled. "Yeah. I just miss Kankuro and Gaara. I got so used to following them everywhere that it's a little strange being here."

Sakura nodded. "I'd imagine so. Learning to live in a different village can be a bit hard."

Temari laughed and rubbed her head. "It's a little harder since Shikamaru isn't around." She placed her hand over her stomach. "Ah, that's right." She blushed as she looked at Sakura. "I need you to give me an examination." Noticing the horrified look on the pink haired kunoichi's face, she quickly added, "But not now."

Sakura sighed and yawned, covering it up with her fingers. "Do you know if it's a normal check up?" She cracked her neck. "Did you have a check up before you left Sunagakure?"

"Hai," Temari nodded. "And..." She blushed. "It's not a normal check up."

Sakura frowned. "Is something wrong? Do you need blood work done?"

"No, nothing's wrong," Temari laughed, waving away Sakura's worries.

She motioned for the woman to lean in. She held up a hand to prevent anyone reading her lips.

"I'm pregnant," Temari chuckled. "Shit, can you imagine it?"

Sakura squealed in delight and gently smacked Temari on the shoulder. This was excellent. Sakura couldn't be happier for Shikamaru and Temari. She paused.

"So Shikamaru knows..."

"Of course!" Temari chortled.

"And Gaara and Kankuro?"

Temari paused. She laughed nervously. "Ah, well, no...Not yet."

Sakura smiled softly. "How far along are you?"

"About a month," Temari said nervously. "I wanted to wait until I got here before I told Gaara and Kankuro. They'd flip if they found out I was traveling while pregnant."

Sakura shook her head. "It's only really dangerous travelling later on in the pregnancy." She gave her a scolding look. "But you definitely need to be careful. Your life isn't your own now."

Temari sighed in relief. "I'm glad. I wasn't sure what would happen..."

"You haven't been lifting heavy objects?" Sakura asked.

"No, no," Temari assured her. "Shikamaru's been doing that. Kakashi and Sasuke helped a few days ago too."

Sakura blinked. "Sasuke?"

Temari looked at the medic nin strangely. "Yeah. He helped us move in. We asked him to stay for dinner, but Kakashi said he had to go."

Sakura blinked. She had never heard of Sasuke being so selfless. He definitely had a way of looking at the world in a cynical light. Normally he didn't help others unless he was going to get something out of it. She smiled sadly. He still felt like people didn't care about him. He had exceptions for that rule though. He knew Naruto would do anything for him. As for Sakura, well, she wasn't sure if Sasuke knew how deeply she felt for him.

"That's too bad," Sakura said quietly.

Teuchi laid down a bowl of ramen in front of the medic nin. Sakura smiled up at the man and thanked him.

"I hear you and the Uchiha have a thing going on," Temari said, slurping back her own noodles. "What's that about?"

Sakura hid her grimace by shoving her face in her bowl. She gulped at the broth.

"He asked me to rebuild his clan with him," Sakura explained.

"Yikes," Temari laughed, rubbing her nose. "That's one hell of a way to say, 'screw me.'" She laughed. "If Shikamaru ever asked me to marry him like that, I'd kill him right then and there." She glanced at Sakura in the corner of her eye. "You can't do that though. He's the last member of the Uchiha clan, huh?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah."

"Damn," Temari said. "You two a couple or what?"

"No," Sakura replied.

Temari choked on a piece of pork. "What the hell?"

"My sentiments exactly," Sakura laughed, patting her friend on the back. "It's okay though. I rejected him and we're still friends."

"Friends that live together after a failed proposal," Temari said slowly. "That's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard."

Sakura nodded. "I know. It's a really strange situation."

Temari paused. She wasn't sure what was going on with the pink haired kunoichi, but she had to try to help the poor girl.

"If you ever just want to get away from him for a night or two," Temari said sympathetically, "You're more than welcome to stay at my place."

Sakura smiled. "I think I might take you up on that offer." She leaned in close so no one else could hear. "_Okaa-san_."

Temari smacked Sakura upside the head. "Baka!"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke had never really been a fan of pets. In fact, he really didn't like animals all too much. Dogs were Kakashi's thing. Frogs were definitely Naruto's thing. And slugs...Sasuke shuddered. Those slimy, healing things were Sakura's thing. His thing? He enjoyed snakes. They were calm, cool, collected and struck at opportune times.

So when he had Haruno Sakura on his lap, purring like a kitten, he suddenly found himself liking the idea of a pet. Maybe she could become his.

He gently stroked her pink hair as she slept on his lap, files scattered along the bed around them with a dim light burning through the night. He was rather happy with the situation at hand. It wasn't very often that he got to enjoy her cozying up to him while she was fast asleep. He often only had that privilege when they were both about to fall asleep or, if by coincidence, they woke up at the same time. Or if she was under the illusion that he was asleep. All in all, it wasn't very often that Sasuke got to appreciate Sakura's affection for so long.

In fact, he glanced at his clock, he had been up for about three hours past his usual bed time and she had been clinging to him for the majority of it. He would normally be asleep by then, but he had a night shift that he had to work through. He was going to keep his promise of making sure she would never have to be alone at night again, no matter what.

The last time he went to the night shift, he came back to find a teary, sleeping Sakura. He wasn't going to leave her alone again. If she had a nightmare, he'd be there for it. After all, her nightmares were apparently about him. He felt a twinge of guilt tug at his heart.

As curious as he was about the nightmares, he figured if Sakura wanted to tell him, she would. He wasn't one to pry. But if he did know what they were about, it'd definitely help him in comforting her.

As if on cue, Sakura's whimpering met his ears. His hand immediately wrapped around her while his fingers continued to run through her silky, short hair. He tilted his head. Is this how his mother felt when she would come comfort him from his own nightmares?

He thought for a moment. What _was _that sweet little lullaby she used to hum to him?

His eyes turned gentle as he looked down at Sakura. Ah yes. He remembered.

With a quiet voice, he began to hum his mother's lullaby. He noticed Sakura's harsh features and creased forehead smooth out and soften. He let his fingers run just past her ear before returning back up to stroke her again. Her own fingers were entwined around his black pants, holding on like they were her only hope at survival.

Her quiet cries lessened with each note that erupted from deep inside of his throat. A nostalgic feeling passed through Sasuke's heart. It was something more. Something deeper. What was it?

Sakura sighed happily as she nuzzled further into his lap. Even with her head atop his files, she looked comfortable. Sasuke looked down at her in something akin to wonder. What happened to the irritating little girl that used to follow him around all the time? What happened to the pink haired child that would have said, 'yes' if he asked her to rebuild his clan?

She was gone. And in her place was a completely changed woman. He smirked. She was a woman worthy of him. No...She was beyond worthy. He wasn't deserving to have such a woman sleeping beside him, night after night. Had she always been so strong? No. When had that changed?

He felt her rub her cheek against his bare abs and he tensed. What had happened to the weak little girl who was utterly _useless _on team seven? This woman he held in his arms was a warrior. She was a different person, a different woman.

Somewhere along the line, he fell in love with this medical ninja. Maybe he had loved her since they were kids but was too blinded by revenge to have any other feelings in his heart. With his revenge gone and power achieved, could he actually focus in on her? Could he actually feel love?

Sasuke frowned. Sakura would have to push past the barrier of his heart. But would she be willing to do that after he had so rudely demanded she rebuild his clan? Sasuke's heart clenched. Would she even bother with him after all that he had put her through?

Uchiha Sasuke knew that there was only one way to find this out. Granted, Sakura had stayed by his side even after he betrayed the village. And yes, she did admit that she loved him...but was love enough to break through his fear of losing her? Could he honestly be with her, worrying every day that she would leave him with nothing, just like his family did?

"Sasuke...kun," Sakura murmured.

The Uchiha exhaled slowly. It was worth a shot. Anything was worth a shot at that point. He knew if she couldn't break down his walls, then he would lose her. He would never be able to make her his forever.

No. Sasuke bit back a growl. He couldn't afford that. He couldn't afford to lose her. Not when she was so close. Not when he was starting to feel love again. Not when he was acknowledging his feelings. Uchiha Sasuke wasn't a coward. He did not wear fear well. But this was a garment he could not shed alone. He needed Sakura to pull the cloak of cowardice off of him and burn it to the ground. He needed her.

And that scared him more than anything.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Haruno Sakura was extremely confused when she woke up. First of all, she was surrounded by huge piles of paperwork to the point where she wasn't sure she was even _on _a bed. She pried a piece of paper off of her cheek and glared at it. Second of all, the great Uchiha Sasuke-sama was _cuddling_.

No. Really.

She glanced down at his arms wrapped around her waist, forcing her to stay put. He was cuddling alright. Those were definitely his hands on her hips. She tilted her head back to get a good look at him. His sleeping habits hadn't changed much since they were genin. He definitely enjoyed sleeping on his side. But the one thing that had changed was his personal space.

When they were children, Sakura couldn't get within five fight of him without him shooting her a cold stare. He had that "don't approach" thing going on. Not that it mattered to her or Ino. They catapulted themselves at him every chance they got. She mentally smacked her head against the wall. She really _was _annoying back then. "Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!" She wore his name out like an old shuriken, rusted from overuse.

That had all changed though, when he returned. She still loved him and she still stuck by his side, but there was a more mature feeling to it. She didn't have to fling herself at him to let him know she cared. She showed him through her healing and from the little things she would pack and bring to Konohamaru's training sessions. No, Sakura did not need to constantly touch him to let him know she loved him. It showed naturally.

The only difference, though, was her small gestures of sweet love were enough for Sasuke to brush aside. Back then he would just flat out reject her or ignore her. Now she could approach him as a fellow comrade and have her affections politely ignored. She was grateful the cold bastard at least had a heart for that. She couldn't take flat out rejection anymore.

Speaking of rejection...Sakura brushed Sasuke's dark hair away from his eyes. He was still asleep. She was surprised her movements hadn't woken him up. Maybe he was starting to get used to her there? No. that couldn't be. She let her eyes trail over his lips. Could it?

Anyone who had seen them knew what was going on between them. It didn't take a genius to read between the lines. They felt _something _for each other. Sakura knew that much. She wasn't stupid. But was it love on Sasuke's end? Was it just wishful thinking? Or was Sakura just dreaming?

She had loved him for so long, it was almost impossible for her to hope that he felt something for her. It had been an unrequited love as far back as she could remember. She knew that his asking her to rebuild his clan was just a logical choice, but...

She laid her head back down on his chiseled chest and sighed. Her jade orbs were back on the massive amounts of paperwork surrounded them. She almost felt like she was drowning in paper. Her fingers curled around Sasuke's torso. What the hell _were _those papers doing there? Sakura vaguely remembered Sasuke reading through a small stack of papers before she drifted off to dreamland.

She hadn't bothered to ask him what he was reading. If he wanted to tell her, he would have. She let go of Sasuke for a moment to reach for one of the papers to look at. It was then that the Uchiha awoke from his deep slumber and grabbed her hand sharply.

She blinked up into his red eyes. "S-Sasuke..."

He pried the paper away from her hands and glared. "It's police work, Sakura."

Sakura frowned. She hadn't meant any harm by it. She just wanted...

Her eyes widened. She sat up as fast as she could and looked around the bed. Those were all police reports? She slowly turned to look at Sasuke. Had he stayed up all night working on them?

"W-Why didn't you go to the office for this?" Sakura asked, motioning to the sea of white around them.

Sasuke looked at her through narrow eyes. It was way too early for her to be asking him such a loaded question. He could have explained that he stuck around because he refused to leave her alone while she slept. That didn't sound creepy at all. Ch. Yeah right. Sasuke rubbed his face tiredly.

"I didn't feel like it."

There. That was the truth, and it kept Sasuke out of the danger zone.

"...Don't you have a home office?"

Sasuke shot a glare at her. She wasn't stupid like Naruto. She wouldn't just accept some bullshit excuse he gave her. So he did the only thing he could think of. He sat up, swung his legs over the edge, and walked straight out of the room.

"S-Sasuke?" Sakura called awkwardly. "Sasuke?"

She paused. What in the _world _had gotten into him? She had just asked him a simple question. She heard the shower head running in the bathroom. She tapped her finger to her chin. Maybe he was just grumpy from being woken up.

Still...her fingers ran over the scattered papers on the bed. He could have done this work on a desk, but he chose to do it with her there.

_Th-Thump_.

Her heart skipped a beat. Oh no. She pressed her hands to her reddening cheeks. She needed to calm down. She needed to breathe. Uchiha Sasuke probably just wanted to relax on a bed instead of sitting at a stuffy desk. Her fingers slid down her neck and pressed hard against her rapidly beating heart.

She couldn't hope. She couldn't put her faith in the thought...She held her shaking head. It was impossible.

...It was impossible, wasn't it?

* * *

"Hokage-sama," Iruka sighed, shaking his head, "Have you even _bothered _to practice the sacred dance at home?"

Naruto, dressed up in all of his garments with Hinata wearing the ceremonial wife wear, glared at his sensei. "Of course I have! Hinata's been helping me!"

Said Uzumaki bride blushed and bowed to Iruka. He in turn, bowed before her. After all, when the Hokage's wife lowered her head, you made sure to lower yours just as much, if not further as a sign of respect. He lifted his head only when she had returned to a proper standing posture.

"Iruka-sensei," Hinata said softly. She placed her hand on Naruto. "Naruto will be wonderful by the festival." She smiled up at her beloved husband. "I have full confidence in you."

Naruto, seeing Hinata's faith in him, was recharged. He thrust his fist up into the air enthusiastically.

"Yosh!" he shouted, "Dattebayo!"

Iruka smacked his forehead and peered at Uchiha Sasuke out of the corner of his eye. "You mind helping me with him?"

Sasuke smirked. He was currently overseeing the placement of torches to make sure Naruto didn't set anyone on fire again. He folded his arms and walked over to Iruka's side. He looked up at Naruto and Hinata, the couple standing side by side on the Hokage's platform, and let out a click of his tongue.

"All the help in the world won't be of use to this dobe," Sasuke said, closing his eyes like his word was final. "I just hope he doesn't kill Hinata in the process."

"Why, you—"

In the process of trying to get at Sasuke, Naruto stepped on the ceremonial robes and somehow managed to tumble over until his hat was half way off his head and his robes were misaligned. Iruka sweat dropped. Naruto may have changed throughout the years, but if there was one thing that would never go away, it was his childish attitude.

Iruka sighed and shook his head. "From the top, you two..."

Sasuke watched as Hinata helped Naruto up. He felt a twinge in his heart. He frowned. The hell was that about?

"Oh yeah, Sasuke-teme," Naruto said as he stood up. He kissed Hinata on the cheek and grinned mischievously down at her. "Gaara's coming, so I need you to round up some guys to guard him." He scratched his head and frowned. "Protocol bullshit or something."

Sasuke nearly fell over. The Kazekage was coming and Naruto hadn't _bothered _to tell him? He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Are you kidding me?" Sasuke growled as Naruto and Hinata began to dance. "You give me two days' notice?"

The Hokage grinned as Hinata and he moved step by step, her holding the fan of Konoha and he holding the sword of the Hokages. "It kind of slipped my mind."

"Slipped your—" Sasuke was seething. "Look here, _baka Hokage_, these things require paperwork and fucking time. I've already dispatched every last one of my officers to different sections of the village and now you're telling me the Kazekage needs protection?"

"A-Ano," Naruto said with a sweat drop, "H-Hai?"

If looks could kill, Naruto would be dead. He would be _so _far underground, no one would have known he ever existed. Iruka, watching the interaction between his two students, laughed nervously.

"Do you _realize _I now have to go through every last one of my plans and completely alter them because _you _forgot to tell me that the Kazekage was coming?"

Naruto's smile twitched. Hinata threw her fan up in the air and caught it with her back hand. Naruto, in turn, threw the sword up in the air and snatched it before it could fall away from him. For being so distracted with Sasuke's rage, she was surprised how well Naruto was doing.

"Y-You'll have Shikamaru's help," Naruto offered up, back to back with Hinata as she unfolded the fan and held it in front of her face.

"Shikamaru's on a damn _mission _Naruto," Sasuke snarled. "He won't be back until tomorrow. So that means, I need to start on the draft _today _so Shikamaru can look over it _tomorrow, _the _day _before the festival."

Shikamaru was brilliant. And Sasuke was a genius. That didn't mean, however, that they were miracle workers. While Shikamaru was the tactician of the village, Sasuke was positive that even with a day's worth of time, they'd have to sit down together for _hours _just to come up with a decent protection plan.

"I-I'm sure you can do it, Sasuke-kun," Hinata politely said as she twirled the fan in her hands.

Sasuke's anger faded as he looked at Hinata. She was really starting to grow on the cold Uchiha. Despite her idiotic husband, Hinata was intelligent. Plus, she had a calming effect on people. A very advantageous quality in the Hokage's wife. Sasuke sighed._  
_

"Oh yeah," Naruto snickered. "You excited to see Sakura in a kimono?" He sneered. "Gonna hold her hand?"

Hinata shot Sasuke a look. He hid a grin. So she hadn't told him about the advice she gave Sasuke the other day. That kunoichi was more cunning than he gave her credit for.

"Ah," Sasuke said nonchalantly, ignoring the blonde's prodding. "I probably won't have much time for festivities, dobe. While you'll be making a fool of yourself, I'll be guarding your ass."

Naruto laughed. "Then I'm as good as dead."

"Ch," Sasuke scoffed.

"Naruto, pay attention," Iruka scolded his former student. "You're gonna—" Naruto stumbled over his robes, crashed into Hinata and managed to bring the both of them down in one fell swoop. "...trip."

Naruto chortled, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "Gomen, gomen, Hinata..." He managed to look up in time to watch Sasuke's back. "Oi, teme! Where're you going?"

Sasuke smirked over his shoulder. "To start on preparations for the Kazekage because _some _idiot forgot to tell me."

* * *

"Take a deep breath for me," Sakura said calmly, her hands wrapped around the stethoscope on Temari's chest. "Relax. Good."

Temari looked anxiously at Sakura. She trusted Sakura with her life. She was the best medical ninja throughout the five great shinobi countries and her work was legendary. If there was anyone who was going to take care of her and her baby, it was Sakura.

"Don't be nervous," Sakura laughed, motioning for Temari to lay down.

Temari grimaced. "Gomen. It's just...I'm about to have my friend shove her fingers inside of my vagina. Forgive me if I seem a little jumpy."

Sakura rolled her eyes and reached for her medicinal gloves. She squirted lubricant on them and rubbed her hands together. She had been through this a million times with women of all shapes and sizes. In fact, she had seen most of the vaginae in Konoha. It came with the job.

"I can still get you another medical ninja if you want," Sakura offered.

"No, no," Temari insisted, her face beat red. "Th-This is fine. I'd rather have you than someone I don't know." Temari smiled softly. "Gotta protect my child."

Sakura smiled. She pushed Temari's knees apart and set the vaginal speculae in place.

"So tell me when you found out you were pregnant," Sakura said, attempting to distract Temari from the matter at hand.

"About a week ago."

Sakura shook her head. "Emotions. Tell me what you were feeling."

"Oh," Temari blushed and gripped the armrests of the chair she sat in. She looked determinedly up at the ceiling. "A little scared, actually. I didn't know if Shikamaru was going to be okay with the fact that I was pregnant..." She felt Sakura's fingers press at her entrance. "I mean, he loves Kurenai's child like his own, so I should have known better..."

"As beautiful as pregnancy is," Sakura hummed, eyeing Temari's vagina to make sure everything was good, "It can be really terrifying."

Temari chuckled. "You sound like you know what it's like."

"I have women come in here all the time," Sakura explained. "Besides, as a medical ninja, it's not only my duty to heal your body, but also ease your mind." She shot her jade orbs up at Temari. "How'd Shikamaru take it?"

"I told him the moment I arrived," Temari said nervously. "I mean, at first he looked furious with me. He kept telling me how troublesome I was..." She laughed. "I thought he was talking about the baby, but then he explained his anger wasn't about our child. He was actually really happy about it." She placed her hands over her stomach. "Shikamaru still is...He was just angry because if he had known, he would have come to Sunagakure and traveled here with me."

"A father's protectiveness," Sakura said. "There's nothing like it." Sakura frowned. "Arch your back a little?"

Temari did as she asked and felt Sakura's fingers deep inside of her. She winced. Even though Sakura was a medical ninja, it was still awkward. This was her friend that was fingering her. And yes, Temari knew Sakura was just trying to do her job, but it really was uncomfortable. Somehow though, to the fan bearer, it was funny.

"I'm getting more action with you than the Uchiha," Temari laughed.

"Very true," Sakura retorted.

"How's that going, by the way?" Temari asked. "He still asking you to rebuild his clan?"

"No, actually," Sakura hummed. "But he is acting strange. I woke up surrounded by his police paperwork." She frowned. "He didn't want to stay in his office."

"Hey, maybe he can get married to his work," Temari joked.

"If only," Sakura laughed. She drew the vaginal speculae to a close, making sure not to pinch any of Temari's tissue in the process. She pulled it out. "Congratulations, you look healthy as a horse."

Temari giggled with glee. "That's great." She hugged her stomach. "Now I can tell Kankuro and Gaara when they come for the festival."

Sakura tilted her head. "They're coming?"

"Of course," Temari replied with a wink. "It isn't every day you get to see the Hokage make a complete fool of himself in a festival. I heard about the Hokage's dance." She grinned. "Besides, Gaara won't admit it, but he really misses Naruto. They haven't seen each other since the last Hokage summit two months ago."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "Hai, hai."

"Sakura," Temari said. "You're coming to the festival, ne?"

Sakura shook her head as she pulled off her gloves and threw them in the trash. "I've gotta stick around here and make sure the hospital doesn't fall without me."

Temari tilted her head. "Ah, well that sucks."

"Tell me about it," Sakura said. She washed her hands in the sink. "You'll say hello to Kankuro and Gaara for me?"

"Ah."

"Now, I want you to come back in a month," Sakura said, writing it down on a pad of paper. "'kay?"

Temari rose from the patient table and started untying her hospital dress. "I wanted to ask you this, before it was too late and you couldn't do it, but..." She lightly blushed and let the dress fall to her ankles. "Would you deliver my baby?"

Sakura beamed. While yes, it was a _terrible _job to do and one of her least favorite duties to perform, Sakura couldn't help but feel glad that Temari wanted _her _to deliver the baby.

"Nine months from now," Sakura agreed. "I'll do it."

Temari smiled brightly and threw on her black dress with ease. "Arigatou, Sakura." She smirked. "I knew I could count on you."

* * *

Hatake Kakashi wasn't one to laugh at others' misfortunes. He really did feel for others. Whenever Naruto and Sakura went through something tough, he was there for them. He was their shoulder to lean on, the support system they required.

"Are you _shitting _me?" Sasuke growled, the papers around him growing at a rapid rate. "That damn Hokage can't even keep it together and he expects me to just come up with a fucking protection plan for the Kazekage after we _already _drafted one for the whole town."

Kakashi smiled happily. Yes. There was the exception. When it came to Uchiha Sasuke, Kakashi had no remorse to spare. In fact, he got a sick sort of pleasure watching the cool-headed sharingan user fret.

"Are you going to help?" Sasuke snapped, turning his red glare on Kakashi. "Or are you just going to keep laughing at my expense?"

Kakashi coughed. "Actually, I just dropped by because Naruto was a little concerned and wanted me to check up on you..."

"I'm fine," Sasuke snapped.

Kakashi looked at his pupil in amusement. "Yes, I can see that." He tilted his head. "Is that why you're currently reading that document upside down?"

Sasuke looked at what he was holding. Huh. So he was reading it upside down. He glared up at Kakashi. There were no words.

"So..." Kakashi drawled slowly, "You give her the flowers?"

Sasuke's glared kept up its menacing atmosphere. "I did."

"And?"

Sasuke sighed and rubbed his forehead. He dropped the paper down on the desk and leaned back. He had spent long enough on that damn reconstruction of the protection plan. It was about time for a break.

"She thought they were an offering for my family members."

"Ah, for the butsudan," Kakashi nodded. Sasuke shot a sharp look at him. How did he know about the butsudan? "Sakura spent a lot of time building it while you were away. Glad to hear it's still standing after you moved back in—"

"Nani?" Sasuke asked, his anger disappearing.

Kakashi rose an eyebrow up. Did the Uchiha not know what she had done for him while he was gone all those years? He looked at his student in curiosity. The clueless look on his face gave him the answer.

"You didn't know she took care of your house while you were away?" Kakashi asked slowly.

Sasuke blinked. She was the one to restore the garden? The one who made sure his clothing had been properly washed even though he hadn't returned for quite some time? He thought the previous Hokage had ordered that done out of respect for his family. He never would have guessed Sakura was the one to take care of the estate.

"Wow," Kakashi said, rubbing his neck. "I knew you and Naruto were dumb, but I didn't realize how stupid _you_ were, Sasuke."

The Uchiha didn't respond. He was too preoccupied with the thought of Sakura taking care of his house to retort with a snide remark. He recalled the first time he permitted her to enter his household. She had followed him without many questions. Had she just pretended that she was unfamiliar in his household to hide it from him? But why would she hide that from him?

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Why didn't she tell me?"

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. "It's not something she _wanted _to tell you. Quite frankly, it's not something she should _have _to say." He shrugged. "Who else in town would care enough about you to take care of the Uchiha complex while you were away?" Kakashi's gaze turned cold. "I sure as hell didn't. But Sakura..."

Kakashi didn't have to finish. He saw the astonished look in Sasuke's eyes. The Uchiha really didn't know how much Sakura loved him, did he? He didn't know how truly deep her love for him was.

"Look, Sasuke," Kakashi said, approaching his student and sitting on the head police chief's desk. "When you were gone, Sakura didn't just train physically. She trained mentally. She made sure every last drop of blood on the Uchiha grounds was gone and memorized your family tree. She read the secrets of the Uchiha clan and tore through your family's things."

Sasuke clenched his fists. "She had _no _right to do that—"

"_You _had no right to leave Konoha," Kakashi reprimanded him. "Sakura was the one to sweep the rooms, wash the dishes so they wouldn't collect dust, and scrub the floors. She beat the rugs and changed the sheets. I'm positive that even if you don't see her doing it now, she's still up to her old tricks while you're out at work and she's at home."

Kakashi glared down at Sasuke. "If you're going to show her your love, maybe you should start noticing how _she _shows it first."

The white haired ninja stood from the desk and let out a long exhale. Sasuke needed to get outside of himself. Love wasn't about taking from your significant other. It was about learning more about them and understanding every aspect of love they had to give. Sakura, for so long, had given so much of herself to Sasuke when he didn't even realize it.

Kakashi watched as Sasuke's astonishment faded and it turned to wonder. Uchiha Sasuke was just beginning to discover how deeply Haruno Sakura loved him. And it was about damn time, too.

"I'm gonna go deliver the report that you're fine to the Hokage," Kakashi said exasperatedly.

"Kakashi," Sasuke said harshly.

His old sensei turned to look at the Uchiha. He was surprised to find him standing. Kakashi straightened his shoulders so he could face the future clan leader head on. But what he found was surprising. In the light of the sun, a silver streak ran down Sasuke's face.

Kakashi's eyes widened.

"...Arigatou."

* * *

Haruno Sakura sat at the kitchen table with a steaming cup of tea in front of her. She cracked her neck. Damn, that felt good. She was exhausted after a long day at the hospital. She had long since eaten dinner by herself. She glanced at the clock. It was late. Was Sasuke going to return home or was she going to have to wait up for him the whole damn night?

As if on cue, the front door of the Uchiha household clicked and swung open. She sighed and took a long sip of her tea. Sasuke was finally home.

"Tadaima," she heard Sasuke's low voice murmur as he entered the kitchen.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow up at Sakura. He wasn't expecting her to still be awake at such a late hour. He felt panic stab his heart. Had she already gone to bed and had a nightmare? Was that why she was up?

"Ah, Sasuke," Sakura said sleepily. "I was about to go to sleep."

That answered his question. He tried to suppress the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I made dinner for you," Sakura yawned, rubbing her stiff neck. "It's in the oven if you want it." She inhaled sharply. "Ah, ano..." She didn't want him to think she had gone out of her way for him. "I just made a little too much for myself, so—"

"Arigatou," Sasuke interrupted her.

Sakura smiled through her exhaustion. "Hai."

"I have to do a night shift for the police," Sasuke said as he opened the oven. "Don't wait up."

Sakura tried to hide the disappointment in her tone. "So you're leaving again."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow up. He didn't let her see. Could it be that she wanted him to stay?

"No," he said as he pulled the curry out of the oven, "I brought my work home."

Sasuke turned to find Sakura looking relieved. He set the plate down on the counter.

"The Kazekage is coming to Konoha," Sasuke briefly explained. "So I have to rework the protection plans."

Sakura nodded. "Temari told me today."

Sasuke's eyebrow quirked upward. "Temari?"

He didn't realize she was friends with the fan girl. He tilted his head curiously. The woman was carrying Shikamaru's child. Did Sakura know...?

Sasuke, noticing her hands still pressed up against the side of her neck, narrowed his eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah?" Sakura asked lightly. She noticed his gaze. "Ah, no. I'm just a little stiff from work today." He made his way toward her. "It's nothing to worry about—"

"I'm not worried," Sasuke said as he pressed his fingers to the nape of her neck.

Sakura blinked in astonishment. She couldn't comprehend what was going on. Was Uchiha Sasuke...? She didn't dare look over her shoulder. Was Uchiha Sasuke _massaging _her?

She relaxed as he worked his palms into the knot she had. Kurenai had mentioned that if, by chance, Sasuke did massage her, it was her job to make it sound as sexual as possible. With it feeling so good though, that wasn't difficult to accomplish.

"Hn," Sakura hummed softly.

Uchiha Sasuke looked down at her pink head. Was it really true what Kakashi had said? Was she the one to take care of the compound while he was away? It did seem plausible. She was one of the only members of team seven left in Konoha when Naruto and he went to train with Jiraiya and Orochimaru. Plus, she seemed to be completely obsessed with him when they were younger.

He vaguely wondered if some of that obsession could have carried on into her adult years. No. Sakura seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. She wasn't chasing after him like they were twelve anymore.

"Ah," Sakura hissed in pleasure, "Harder..."

Sasuke felt a chill run up his spin. He was just massaging her neck. There was no need for him to get excited over a phrase like that. She leaned into him, letting him work his magic into her muscles and she let a _moan _escape her lips. Sasuke swallowed. Sakura was just grateful for the neck massage. It wasn't like she was actually getting turned on by this. It wasn't like _he _was getting turned on by this.

"Ah, that feels so good," Sakura said, letting her back sink against his lower abs.

Sasuke immediately pulled his hands away. That was enough of that. He needed to stop before she noticed his...ah..._arousal _poking out from under his pants.

"S-Sasuke?" Sakura asked, blinking up at him innocently. "Doushita no?"

"Betsu ni," Sasuke managed to get out, walking away from her so she could only see his back.

She tilted her head. "Sasuke?" She slowly stood from her seat. "Wh-Where are you going?"

"Ah, I just need a shower," Sasuke managed to get out. A very _cold _shower, he silently added. "Go on and get some sleep."

Sakura glared at his back as he walked out of the kitchen. Was she not sexy enough? She looked down at her disheveled clothes that revealed a bit more than she was used to. Was she doing something wrong? Sakura shook her head. No. If it had been any normal man, they would have surrendered right then and there. She was positive of it. She knew she was attractive. She knew what she was working with.

She wasn't hit on by strangers for nothing. She frowned and sank back in her chair. Then what was she doing wrong? Was she not coming on strong enough?

She ruffled her pink hair in frustration.

Maybe Naruto was right. Maybe she needed to be more straightforward with these seduction methods, because what she was doing didn't seem to work all that well.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Doushite: Why**

**Motto: More**

**Shimatta: Oh, shit/I messed up**

"Look at this, Tsunade-sama," Ino bragged, holding out her ring finger for the old Hokage to look at. "I'm engaged."

Tsunade smirked as she chowed down on a bowl of ramen. Ino had gotten back from her mission just that morning and insisted that Sakura take her out for ramen to finally celebrate her engagement.

"Congratulations," Tsunade said cheerily. "I do believe this calls for some sake, don't you Shizune?"

The medic nin looked at her mentor in exasperation. "No, I don't."

Tsunade ignored her and patted Ino on the back. "Give some of your luck to Sakura."

Sakura glared at her shishou. "Sasuke already asked me to rebuild his clan _twice_." Sakura sipped at the glass of water in front of her. "Please don't pray for luck or else he'll ask me a third time."

Tsunade nodded and slurped at the udon. "You two going to the festival?"

Ino said, "Hai," while Sakura said, "No." Tsunade, Shizune and Ino all looked at Sakura like she was crazy. Sakura ignored their looks and sipped on the broth in her ramen. She daintily bit at a piece of pork.

"D-Doushite?" Ino asked weakly. "I was hoping we could go in one huge group. Naruto and Hinata wouldn't come with us, obviously. They've got preparations to take care. But I was thinking, you know...you and Sasuke, Temari and Shikamaru, Sai and me..."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "And Chōji?"

"He's got a special relationship with his food," Ino laughed awkwardly. "Not really one for couples, ne?"

Sakura pondered for a moment. "I'm not going to the festival."

"_Doushite?_" Ino angrily asked. "You can't deny a bride her request. You are _going _to that festival, damn it."

"I don't have a kimono," Sakura replied nonchalantly. "It was burned in the fire."

Ino let her gaze droop. "You could borrow one of mine."

Sakura smiled. "Oh I couldn't do that." She laughed to try and make Ino crack a grin. "It's okay. I've got some stuff to take care of at the hospital anyway, so don't worry about it."

Tsunade eyed her student. "Have you asked the Uchiha for his mother's kimono?"

Sakura blushed. "Th-That'd be way too much to ask for."

Tsunade scoffed. "You're wearing her damn clothes on a regular basis, you know. What's it to him if you wear his mother's kimono? I'm pretty sure the little bastard would actually like it too."

Sakura blushed. "I'm not going to outright ask him for his mother's kimono." She shook her head and waved her hand in front of her face. "Don't worry about it. You guys have fun at the festival without me."

"Ch," Ino scoffed, "Like I'd listen to that excuse. How about you come over to my place before the festival tomorrow and we'll get you in one of my kimonos real quick?" She smirked. "Unless you're too fat for it."

Sakura's jaw dropped and she smacked Ino upside the head. "Why you—"

"You're coming to the festival," Ino stated stubbornly. "That's the bride's order."

Sakura chuckled. She knew she could count on Ino. She should have asked her in the first place. They were about the same size, it could work. But still...

"I'll only come on two conditions," Sakura said. "First, don't turn this into one of your extravagant match making sessions you used to try with people when we were kids." She shot Ino a look. "Sasuke would _not _be amused." She gave Tsunade a look. "And don't let Naruto set you on fire this time."

"Oh sheesh," Ino snorted into her ramen, "I remember that. Didn't he try to blow it out with Temari's fan?"

"Wound up making the whole thing worse," Shizune laughed. "Set your entire ass on fire..."

Tsunade glared at her subordinate. Shizune sweat dropped.

"_You _didn't seem to be much help," she growled.

"He set the entire stage on fire too," Sakura hummed thoughtfully, her chopsticks still in her mouth. "Those poor actors never stood a chance..."

Tsunade sighed and pressed her fingers to her forehead. Sometimes she really questioned whether or not she made the right choice in naming Naruto Hokage. The festival seemed to drag out her doubts each and every year.

"There shouldn't be any problems," Shizune said, "Uchiha Sasuke-sama is preparing it so there won't be any fire near Naruto throughout the entire evening."

Sakura covered her mouth as she giggled. "Just make sure the Hokage doesn't have any weapons. He might run someone through with a sword."

Sakura laughed and shook her head. As much as she ragged on Naruto, he was like her brother. She was proud of him for becoming Hokage, a title he had worked his whole life to earn. She looked forward to watching him shine the next day.

Ino thought for a moment. "Isn't there a sword in the Hokage dance?"

"We're all going to die," Shizune groaned dramatically.

Sakura gobbled down the remaining ramen and threw down some money for herself and Ino. "I've gotta go." She gave Ino a pointed look. "You might be engaged, but you are _not _missing work today, Ino-pig. Operations have been killer without you."

Ino grinned up at her friend. "Hai, hai, forehead girl." She snickered. "Can't live without me, huh?"

Sakura scoffed playfully. "Can't live _with _you." She patted the blonde kunoichi on the back. "But, it's good to have you home."

* * *

"Yo," Kakashi said, pushing through the double doors into Sasuke's office. "Came to check on you to see how the..."

Kakashi stopped speaking when he noticed that the Uchiha had his mangekyo sharingan in full force, reading as fast as he could through each document that was on his desk. The bags beneath his eyes screamed that he clearly hadn't gotten any sleep. His old sensei sweat dropped.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked harshly, scribbling down something. "I'm waiting for Shikamaru to arrive."

"J-Just checking on you to see how the preparations are going," Kakashi said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

Sasuke shot a glare up at the white haired ninja. Oh yeah. Things were just fan-fucking-tastic. He spent the whole night wide awake while Sakura cuddled up on his lap. That woman seriously didn't know what the hell she was capable of when she was asleep. The moment she woke up, he left to go to the police station so he could scrap up some more ideas for the protection of the Kazekage. The only thing he had eaten since the previous night was Sakura's curry and he was starving.

"They're going great," Sasuke shot back.

"C-Clearly..."

Kakashi coughed and shrugged. "Need some help?"

Sasuke didn't answer. He felt a presence coming.

"Yo, Sasuke," Shikamaru said lazily as he appeared out of thin air into Sasuke's office, "What the hell is this I hear about you changing our protection plan?"

"Ask Naruto," Sasuke snarled, throwing a stack of papers at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru and Kakashi looked at each other. They briefly nodded at one another.

"What does Naruto have to do with anything?" The lazy tactician looked over the report and his eyes widened. "Y-You're kidding me. The Kazekage's coming?"

"Ah," Kakashi confirmed. He sarcastically added,"Welcome back to Konoha."

"Sh-Shimatta," Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his head with one hand. "It took us a few days to get everything together in the first place. Now that the Kazekage's coming, we've gotta start from scratch...When'd you find this out?"

"Yesterday," Sasuke replied swiftly, holding two papers in his hands and looking at both simultaneously. The sharingan really had its perks. "The dobe just _happened_ to remember."

"What the fuck?" Shikamaru asked. "Damn troublesome Hokage..."

"Are you going to stand there cursing out the Hokage or are you gonna help me sort through this crap?" Sasuke snapped.

"He's a bit touchy right now," Kakashi warned Shikamaru.

"I can tell," Shikamaru said monotonously.

"He can hear you," Sasuke pitched in angrily.

"Ch," the lazy tactician said as he swept out the inside of his ear with his pinky. Shikamaru blew out hot air and shook his pineapple head. "We need help. And lots of it. It's already too late to do this by ourselves."

Sasuke, as much of a loner as he was, had to agree. He had been working on the plan nonstop since the day before. He hadn't slept, the only thing he had eaten was the curry Sakura made, and he was ready to relieve some of that stress on others. He shot a look up at Shikamaru.

"Grab some of these papers," Sasuke said, looking from Shikamaru to Kakashi. "And we'll gather as many as we can to help us."

"No, we need Kiba, Chōji, Lee, Tenten, Sai, and Yamato," Shikamaru said.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He didn't like being told to do something, but he knew Shikamaru meant business. Whatever he had planned, Sasuke was going to go along with it. Sasuke nodded.

"I'll get Chōji, Lee, and Tenten," Shikamaru said. "You two get Sai, Kiba, and Yamato." He paused. "Let's meet at your place."

Sasuke smirked. "Ah."

Shikamaru leaned forward and looked at Sasuke's eyes. "...You look like shit."

Kakashi couldn't hold back a laugh.

Sasuke glared at him. "I'm good."

Shikamaru nodded slowly. "Just make sure you get some sleep tonight. You need to be at your best tomorrow. Protecting the village and troublesome stuff."

"Ah."

Shikamaru disappeared out of his office with a hand seal, and Sasuke took a deep breath. Kakashi was still laughing. He really hated working with people. He leaned back against his chair and nodded. But he had to admit, having friends that had his back definitely had it's perks.

* * *

Haruno Sakura absolutely adored baths. There was something about the relaxing aromas, the feeling of being surrounded by constant warmth and the steam that kissed your face. Sakura sighed and sunk further in the tub. Oh yes. She loved it.

She picked up the wash cloth on the side and gently scrubbed her arms. The warm, soapy liquid trailed down her arms and back into the bath. Her feet hung off the sides so she could feel the gentle water press against her entrance. She scooped up the bubbles and blew at them.

She knew she shouldn't be taking her time. She knew Sasuke was home. She had felt his presence the moment he came home. Sasuke probably wanted to take a shower or something. But she couldn't get out. It was too heavenly in there. Besides, she needed to get all squeaky clean for the festival the next day.

She giggled in excitement and swung her feet off of the ledge of the bath so she could drown them in the water. She was going to the festival. She was mildly disappointed that she had to wear one of Ino's kimonos, but at least it was something. And since they were about the same size, there wouldn't be any worries.

She lifted one leg out of the water and started scrubbing it. She had turned off the lights and was burning candles that were nearing their end. She'd never admit it to anyone, but she most definitely had fantasies about the Uchiha heir. She smirked at the melting wax. Oh yes. She had fantasies.

She couldn't count how many times she had bathed and just wished for Sasuke to burst through the door, whisk her away into his arms and have his hot, passionate way with her, all the while proclaiming his undying love for her. She squeezed the wet cloth above her head and closed her eyes. _Pfft_. As if. Like _that_ was ever going to happen.

But she could have more realistic fantasies about him, right? She smirked. That's why she had left the door unlocked for him. Kurenai had said that a woman's most powerful tool was a bath. While yes, a woman submerged in soapy water was fully covered, it was just enough for a man to realize she was naked. If candles were lit around the bathroom, it was even better. It provided a way to introduce sadist/masochist sexual pleasures in.

She was nearly finished washing her body when the candles she had lit slowly dimmed. She frowned. She'd have to get out soon. But she could wait until they were fully finished to do that. She still had to enjoy herself. So by candlelight, she let her hand trail down her stomach and toward her aching core.

Since she had to throw out her useless vibrator, and since she slept with Sasuke, there wasn't much time where she could pleasure herself. Having the bathroom to herself, she decided then was a good as time as ever. Plus...she slyly looked at the unlocked door...if Sasuke was around, he be able to hear her moans.

She blushed like crazy and half-wondered if she could go through with the plan. She had never been lewd but she wasn't so shy she couldn't try it out. Anything was worth a shot to her at that moment. She nodded fiercely and gulped. It was now or never.

She let her fingers enter herself, fully aware that water was rushing in. Sakura leaned back and let her chin raise slightly so her gaze was toward the bathroom ceiling. She felt nervous. She shut her eyes tightly. She needed to not think about Sasuke listening to her...she needed to think about him, hot and heavy above her, lowering himself deeper inside of her.

She arched her back more. She made her way into the folds and gently rotated. While other more inexperienced women would try to jam their fingers inside themselves harshly, believing that quick and powerful was the way to go, the medic ninja knew better. The clitoris was a very sensitive area and it needed to be treated delicately.

Why, just the slightest touch...Sakura used her finger tip to sweep along the inside of herself. She let out a moan. Yes, the medic ninja knew _exactly _what she was doing. Her body was a sacred temple that needed to be satisfied with offerings. And boy, was this one hell of an offering. She huffed as she inserted a third finger inside, stroking her throbbing core soothingly.

With her other hand, she softly rubbed her pink nipple. It didn't take much for it to become hard. Just a little tugging here and there and it was suddenly rising like a man's fully erect penis. Sakura licked her soft, wet lips. How she longed for Sasuke to open up the door and ravage her body. She wanted him to plunge inside of her, burrowed deep within her crevices and tearing her apart at the seams.

She had to muffle her gasp as she felt herself become wetter with desire at the thought of the Uchiha. Oh, but she couldn't do that. She had to let him hear her. He had to know how much she wanted him. He had to know _how _she wanted him.

"M-Mou," she groaned, her feet curling in pleasure, "S-Sasuke-kun..."

With a whoosh, the candles burning faded to nothingness and Sakura was left in the dark. The dim light no longer pressing against her eyelids, Sakura was thrown into a world where Sasuke was hers to keep. He was hers to have, and to hold. He was hers to love.

She pressed her lips against his bare chest and licked his delectable skin. He shuddered from pleasure, but that wasn't good enough. She wanted him to _scream _her name. She let her tongue trail over his earlobe, feeling his moan right down to the tips of her toes.

Sasuke grabbed her by her ass first, pulling her closer so he could run his lips over her plump breasts. He sank his teeth into them, lightly nipping here and there. It was enough to mark her with love bruises, but not enough that it hurt. Sakura hissed. At that moment though, she wanted _pain_.

She wanted to feel pleasure so powerful that it would make her heart bleed from the pain. She dug her nails into his back as he flicked his fingers along her aching vagina.

"I want you," she panted, "_Now_."

But he wouldn't give himself to her fully. No, he was content with teasing her. He pulled away his fingers and tasted her juices. He hummed in approval and gave her a smirk that shook her to the core. In a moment's breath, she was up against the wall with him thrusting inside of her.

"Sakura."

She moaned. His cock felt so good. It was thick and long. It really pushed through her vagina. He unsheathed himself.

"_Sakura_."

He plunged himself once more inside of her, gripping her hips tightly.

"Motto, Sasuke-kun..."

Sasuke leaned in to press his lips against hers and—

"Sakura...What the hell?"

Her jade eyes shot wide open and looked in the dark to find a figure. She blinked. She shifted in the bath to get a closer look. There, looking at her with wide eyes, standing in an open doorway, was Kiba.

It took her a moment to realize what was going on. To snap back to reality. And once she did, she only had one thing to say:

"Get the _hell _out!"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was holding the protection plan meeting in his living room when he heard Sakura's scream. He tensed immediately and glanced toward his comrades. In a hot flash, he was running down the hallway, sword drawn and ready to go. He didn't care what was going on, but whatever was distressing her was about to die. He turned the corner and nearly crashed into a bleeding Kiba.

He stared at him hard. He then looked at the bathroom door that was tightly shut. He looked back to Kiba.

"Mother _fucker!_" Kiba cursed harshly. "She fucking broke my damn nose!"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. What in the world...?

"What happened?" Sasuke asked Kiba directly.

Kiba just sat there and tried to keep all of the blood from gushing out of his head. It _really _hurt when she punched him. Didn't she realize she was a fucking tank? Damn super human strength...

"Who did this to you?" Sasuke pressed, clutching his sword tightly.

"Who else?" Kiba snapped, his hands still over his precious nose. "Your damn woman!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow up. Sakura normally didn't punch people for no good reason. Whenever she beat the crap out of Naruto, it was always with a good excuse. Normally he was a total idiot. Or he made a lewd comment. So he found it hard to believe that Kiba did absolutely nothing to deserve that beating.

He looked down at Kiba. The Inuzuka had mentioned earlier that he needed to use the bathroom. So obviously, Sasuke instructed him to the closest one within range. Something didn't add up. Sasuke folded his arms. Where was Sakura in all of this?

He glanced at the tightly shut door. So he did what Kiba should have done in the first place. He knocked.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, "What's wrong?"

He heard shuffling noises from behind the door. He reached for the door knob. Before he could grab it though, Sakura's muffled voice cam through.

"D-Don't come in!" she said. "I'm not decent yet!"

And then it clicked. Sakura was _naked_. Sasuke looked down at Kiba who had finally gathered himself together and had his head tilted back. Sasuke's fists were clenched.

"You're dead."

It wasn't a threat. It wasn't an empty string of words tied together. It was a cold, hard fact. In a flash, Sasuke's fingers were wrapped around Kiba's throat. He slammed him up against the wall and squeezed.

"Sh-Shimatta," Kiba cursed, flailing in the air. "I-I didn't see a-anything."

Sasuke glared fiercely at him. Kiba had the audacity to walk in on Sakura naked. Regardless of whether or not he saw anything, he _refused _to let such insolence go unpunished. Kiba coughed under Sasuke's grip. He could hear the pattering of feet from the others that were over his house.

"Sasuke!" Shikamaru scolded, skidding to a stop beside the avenger.

"Put him down," Kakashi said behind Shikamaru.

Sasuke grit his teeth. He wasn't going to let Kiba off so easily. That fool had seen Sakura in such a vulnerable state. Sasuke was livid.

He heard the bathroom door creak open, but he didn't bother looking. He knew Sakura was behind him.

"S-Sasuke," she stuttered, stepping forward and snatching the back of his shirt. "W-What's going on?"

Sasuke didn't answer. He was on a mission to suffocate the life out of this worthless dog. He wanted to see the life drain from his eyes as he squeezed the air out from his body.

"Sasuke," Sakura said, her voice hiking up in worry, "Stop."

Sakura winced. Really, Sasuke was going a little overboard with this, she thought. It was sweet of him to threaten to kill someone who had walked in on her bathing but she really would have preferred him to show his concern for her in a less violent way. Kiba was innocent. He hadn't seen anything. The room had been pitch black and she punched him out of the bathroom the moment she realized who he was. So there really wasn't any need for him to die.

"Sasuke, listen to her," Kakashi said, ready to tear his pupil off of the suffocating Inuzuka.

Sasuke started to move away from Sakura and closer to Kiba.

"Sasuke," Sakura pleaded, "Onegai?"

Sasuke wouldn't be swayed. But then he felt her arms slide around his torso. Her chest pressed against his back and he relaxed. Her petite frame was so close to him. He inhaled slowly.

"It's fine already," Sakura said, her voice muffled by his shirt, "Kiba didn't see anything."

Sasuke dropped his comrade back to the ground. Kiba, finally able to breath, felt his face cool down. Sakura released herself from Sasuke and knelt in front of Kiba.

"Gomen," she said with a laugh to break the awkward tension. "I should have locked the door."

Kiba lowered his hands as Sakura placed her fingers above his wound. Green light came from them and Kiba felt a soothing sensation run over his nose.

"It's my fault," Kiba mumbled. "I should've knocked."

Damn straight. Sasuke was still seething. Even if Sakura was fine, he still didn't like the idea of someone else seeing her naked. He shot his gaze to Shikamaru who was now rubbing his head awkwardly.

"Let's get this meeting over with."

Shikamaru watched as Sasuke walked past him. "Damn troublesome..."

"Sasuke," Kakashi said following his pupil down the hall.

Sasuke wasn't listening. He was too busy trying to calm his racing heart. What he had thought was merely rage was actually so much deeper than that. It wasn't jealousy. Sasuke knew what that felt like. No. This feeling...it was a mixture of raw concern and a need to protect.

Sasuke entered the living room, ignoring the wide eyes of his teammates. He sat down next to Sai.

"Sakura all right, traitor?" Sai asked cheerfully.

"Sai," Sasuke snarled. "Shut it."

* * *

Haruno Sakura had spent the majority of the evening avoiding Sasuke at all costs. She had locked herself in her room and only came out if she needed something to eat or had to use the bathroom. She was way too embarrassed to let him see her after the Kiba incident.

What Sasuke didn't know is that while Kiba didn't see her naked, he sure as hell heard her pleasuring herself. In fact, the dumb dog was actually brave enough to try and _tease _her about it when Sasuke left. That wound up with her breaking his nose again and refusing to heal it. He'd think twice before trying to taunt her ever again.

So when Sakura, ever a ninja of stealth, tried to head to sneak some dinner back to her room, low and behold, Sasuke was standing right outside of her room with his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. She was then forced to follow him through the complex where she now found herself in front of a locked door she had never bothered to pry open. While Sakura had taken care of the Uchiha compound when Sasuke was away, she had a strict "no trying to unlock the Uchiha doors." The first time she had tried wound up triggering a seal which rendered her speechless for the next three days.

Needless to say, Sakura had learned her lesson.

Sasuke stood in front of the chained double doors and folded his arms. He was hesitant to show her something so sacred to his family. Normally only those engaged or already married in were allowed to see the treasures behind the double doors. His own mother wasn't allowed to learn the seal to open the door until the night of her wedding to his father.

He scowled. So he was breaking tradition...He tilted his head at the curious pink haired kunoichi. Screw it.

He turned his back to her and formed the proper seals with his hands before pressing his palms to the bolted lock. It creaked open immediately. Sasuke yanked it out from the handles and threw it to the side. He turned back to Sakura.

"What I'm about to show you," he said slowly, "Is something you can't tell anyone about."

Sakura's eyes widened. A secret. Sasuke was trusting _her _with _his _secret? She rubbed her arm nervously. While she loved to tell Ino everything, if this was something Sasuke needed her to keep a secret, she would. After all, she was already used to the patient/medic ninja confidentiality she had to keep up. She would just look at it like that.

On the other hand, if what he was about to show her endangered the village in any way, she had an obligation to tell the Hokage. She eyed Sasuke. If it was something to harm the village, she didn't think he'd be showing her it. She didn't think he would have something like that in the first place.

Sakura took a moment. If it was a weapon, she would need to demand what he was going to use it for. So could she keep his secret? She bit her lower lip.

"Sasuke," Sakura finally replied. Her jade orbs met his onyx ones. "You can trust me."

Satisfied with her answer, Sasuke pulled back the double doors and walked into the pitch black room. With the snap of his fingers, a small fireball appeared in his hands. He threw it out into the black abyss and it shattered into a thousand tiny flames, hovering near the ceiling.

Sakura walked until she was standing side by side with Sasuke. Her hands flew to her lips.

"S-Sasuke..."

Sasuke swallowed. He was showing her the pride and joy of the Uchiha clan. He didn't bother to look at the treasures. He had already memorized them by heart. No, he was watching her. Her eyes were soft and tender, looking at each of the Uchiha clan's objects with a hushed awe.

Sakura couldn't believe Sasuke was showing her such a place. This had to have been forbidden. It was too precious for it not to be. She turned to him.

"Wh-Why are you showing me this?" Sakura hoarsely asked. "Th-This is too—"

"The Konoha festival is tomorrow," Sasuke interrupted, motioning her to follow him.

They walked past the ceremonial robes and kimonos scattered along the walls. Sakura tore her gaze away from him and looked back to the wondrous sight she was able to see. Sasuke halted in front of a pair of robes. Sakura stopped behind him.

"This is what my mother wore at her last Konoha festival," Sasuke explained, thumbing over the gorgeous red, flaming material.

Sakura gasped. Her knees trembled. Mikoto-san...

"Wh-Why are you showing me this?" Sakura repeated.

Sasuke let the fabric fall back in place. He looked at his fathers robes.

"I don't know," Sasuke replied with a smirk, glanced over his shoulder. "Why am I?"

Sakura looked at him in wonder. Her hand was covering her lips while her other was tightly gripping her wrist. She couldn't keep the feelings from overflowing inside of her. They were rushing out toward him and nothing she could do would stop it. Sasuke stared at her blushing cheeks. He sharply turned to face her.

He took a step forward and reached for her. Her jade eyes were so clouded with desire he couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted to embrace her. He wanted to tell her not to hide it from him. He wanted to confess his love for her.

But instead, he swiftly walked past her. Instead, he said harsh words to keep her away. Instead, he ran.

As he walked away, he coldly stated, "Just make sure you lock up after you leave." Sasuke clicked his tongue in irritation. "Come to bed when you're finished."

Before Sakura could turn around to show her gratitude, he was gone.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Omedatou: Congratulations**

**Poi: Japanese Paddle**

**Onii-san: Older Brother**

**Soshite: And**

**Kingyo-Sukui: Goldfish Scooping**

**Sugoi: Amazing**

"I still can't get over it," Ino squealed, tugging on Sai's arm as they walked. "You managed to get Mikoto-san's kimono." She pat Sakura on the back fervently. "You sly girl, you!"

Sakura blushed and held up the Uchiha fan in her hand to cover up the pink of her cheeks. It was almost everything she had ever dreamed of. Sasuke had given her his mother's kimono and full access to the Uchiha vaults that held their most prized possessions. She was honored.

As promised, she hadn't told anyone about the Uchiha vaults. In fact, she hadn't told anyone. She loved the fact that she had a shared secret with Sasuke. It meant he trusted her. She beamed and fluttered the fan in front of her face. She knew she shouldn't have been so happy with such a small accomplishment, but this was _Uchiha Sasuke_ we're talking about. _No one _got close to the icicle king like that.

"Yeah, seriously," Tenten said, holding onto Lee's hand. His other was preoccupied holding a panda bear he had won her. "How the hell did you manage to accomplish that?"

Sakura laughed uncomfortably and scratched her cheek. "I-I don't know. He just showed it to me. But I wonder how he knew I needed a kimono."

"Your things were burnt away in the fire," Chōji mumbled as he munched on yakitori.

"I'm sure he figured you needed something to wear," Shikamaru offered up.

Sai smiled. "I do not believe Sasuke is that intelligent. While yes, he is an excellent chief of policeman, his way with women is not so tactful." He pressed a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "For example, when he asks Sakura to rebuild his clan, he is merely asking her to perform coitus with him. In actuality, he should be asking to court her first before they can begin to procreate anytime soon—"

"Look, Sai!" Sakura exclaimed. "An art contest!"

Sakura knew that when Sai started talking about her sex life (or lack thereof), it was time to change the subject. Ino, intrigued, and Sai vaguely interested, steered the course of direction away from the main path. Sakura sighed as they walked away.

"Tenten!" Lee shouted excitedly, pointing at yet another competition. "If I cannot win you that stuffed monkey, then I shall win you five stuffed monkeys! If I cannot win you five stuffed monkeys, then I shall win you ten stuffed monkeys! If I cannot win you—"

"Hai, hai," Tenten laughed, sweat dropping as she followed her boyfriend to the stand.

Sakura glanced at Chōji. She hid her discontent behind the fan. Yes, almost everything was perfect that night. Except that Sasuke wasn't there with her and hadn't seen her in her kimono yet. She frowned. Sakura realized it was his duty and honor to guard the Kazekage all night long, but did he really have to completely miss out on the festivities?

She folded up her fan and rolled her eyes. She turned to Temari and Shikamaru. Pineapple head wasn't leaving her side. As lazy as he was, when it came to Temari and that child she was carrying, he was fully attentive. He had his hand over her stomach as she whispered in his ear.

Sakura bit her lower lip. Now that is what she wanted. That lovely atmosphere of a couple that just emanated from the pair. She knew Sasuke cared about her. She knew he was protective of her. But she wanted _that_. Mad, passionate love tearing him apart from the inside out until he couldn't hold it in anymore and the dam would burst.

She wished Sasuke would be able to snag at least a few minutes away from Gaara to enjoy himself. Suddenly, takoyaki was flung in front of her face. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at Chōji. He grinned cheekily down at her.

"Cheer up," he said, his voice muffled by the food behind his lips.

She smiled and took the small ball away from him before popping it in her mouth.

"Come on," he said, face full of fried deliciousness. "I'm sure you'll be able to see Sasuke soon."

Sakura pursed her lips. "And why do you think I want to see Sasuke?"

Chōji chuckled. "Because you wouldn't have worn that kimono if you didn't." He winked at her before looking at Temari and Shikamaru. "Hey, you all want to see Gaara?"

Temari's eyes lit up at the prospect of seeing her brother. "Ah! Hai!"

Shikamaru shrugged. It didn't matter to him. He vaguely wondered when Temari would tell her brothers about their baby. He smiled. It wasn't that she was ashamed. No, she was proud to bear his children. She was just worried how it would affect them.

Kankuro hated kids and Gaara had a shitty childhood. It doesn't exactly make for great uncles, now does it? Shikamaru thumbed over Temari's abs and smiled softly. Still though, anything that came from Temari would bring more love into the world. Regardless of how her brothers felt, he was sure they would come to love their child.

Sakura, however, was sharing a private moment with Chōj. He had swung his arm around Sakura and pulled her close to him. The smell of meat and grease met her nose but it was welcomed at that moment. She knew she could count on him. They never really got to spend much time together, but he was always a delight when he came to the hospital for his check ups.

Chōji lowered his voice and grinned cheekily. "All you've gotta do is ask."

Sakura laughed and pressed her lips to his cheek. "Arigatou, Chōji."

He blushed and rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Fuck, Sakura. You want Sasuke to beat me up worse than Kiba?"

Sakura laughed. "_I _beat Kiba up." She grinned cheekily at him. "It'd be best if you remembered that."

"Will do."

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke's temple throbbed. While he was totally fine with guarding Gaara the entire night, having Kankurō there was getting on his last nerve. Gaara was quiet, cool and collected. Sasuke could deal with that. But Kankurō...

"I can't believe the traitor's guarding you," the puppet master chuckled to Gaara.

Sasuke's fists were clenched. It was his job to protect Gaara. It wasn't his job to protect Kankurō. If that damn bastard happened to return to Sunagakure with a large bump on his head, Sasuke wasn't to blame.

"I mean, seriously," Kankurō scoffed quietly. "What the hell is wrong with this picture?"

"Kankurō," Gaara said, watching as children attempted to scoop goldfish out of a small pool.

His brother, hearing the tone in his voice, quieted down. He knew when Gaara was serious.

Kankurō frowned at the children playing in front of him. They really made him feel awkward. Back in Sunagakure, whenever Gaara wanted to take a walk, the kids would all swarm around them and insist that Kankurō give them a puppet show. No matter how many times he tried to explain that it wasn't a _game, _they wouldn't listen.

Though, the children in this village didn't seem to want to approach him as much. He glanced at the tense Uchiha. Maybe that was his doing. He had an aura that screamed, "stay the hell away." Who knew? The traitor was good for something after all._  
_

Gaara watched as one little girl managed to get the goldfish onto the poi and flipped it up. She looked on in amazement as it went into her small container. The smile on her face shone in the firelight. Gaara took a step forward.

Sasuke, aware of the move, was by his side in an instant. He silently followed as Gaara made his way into the tent. He leaned down next to the pool and smiled gently at the small girl. She couldn't have been older than three years old.

"Omedetou," Gaara said softly.

The girl took one look at him and gasped. She let the container fall in the water, and the small goldfish swam away. She bit her lower lip, trying not to cry.

Kankurō watched as his brother looked sadly at the child. As much as he himself disliked kids, Gaara was different. He loved children. Their innocence fascinated him. Kankurō knew Gaara would cheer this one up no matter what. The Kazekage did not disappoint.

"Gomen," Gaara murmured, taking one of the poi from the side.

He slowly followed the fish with his hand. The little girl, tears streaming from her face, clutched the edge of the pool and eyed Gaara warily. He made her drop her goldfish, after all.

He attempted to catch the slippery thing, when suddenly, the poi broke. He looked at it. He placed it aside. Gaara reached for yet another poi and tried again. This one broke as well. Gaara reached for a third one, determined to catch a goldfish.

The little girl, noticing his antics, let out a giggle. Gaara shot his gaze up to her, only to realize she was beside him. He smiled at her curly head.

"Ne, onii-san," she giggled, reaching for his hand. "Like this, 'kay?"

She guided the poi along until it was under the fish. Then, with the flick of his and her wrist, the fish was flung neatly into the container. Gaara, curious, looked down at the little one's bright blue eyes.

"Arigatou," he said, giving her the container, "Soshite...gomen."

Sasuke eyed a couple nearby that seemed to be the girls parents. They were whispering to one another quietly, watching as their daughter interacted with the Kazekage. Sasuke had to hand it to Gaara. He was a lot more gentle than he had been when they were genin. He definitely took a page out of Naruto's book.

The little girl smiled brightly and wrapped her tiny fingers around the container. Seeing that she was happy once more, Gaara felt content. He started to stand up, but a pair of little grubby hands grabbed at his hem. He looked down. There was a little boy, barely four looking up at him excitedly.

"O-Oi," his parents hesitantly called from the stand across from the kingyo-sukui, where Gaara and the children were.

Kankurō frowned. Gaara had definitely changed for the better, but there were still people who feared him for what he had been in the past. He took a step in front of his brother and glared at the parents. He refused to let people look at Gaara like that ever again.

"Kankurō," Gaara said yet again. "It's okay."

His brother looked down at him. He nodded and stepped aside, letting the worried parents watch as their child climbed into the lap of the Kazekage. Gaara tried once again to catch a goldfish with the poi. He failed. He looked at the little girl expectantly.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Yuri," she replied, guiding his hand once again.

"And yours?" he asked the little boy in his lap.

"Hiroko," he hummed happily.

"What 'bout you?" Yuri asked. "What's your name?"

The Kazekage smiled. "Gaara."

"Gaara-onii-san," Yuri corrected him.

He nodded. "Ah."

Sasuke leaned against the tent's pole warily. This was like baby-sitting a damn child. He sighed and shook his head. Gaara might have changed, but Sasuke was still the stoic bastard he had been since he was twelve. No way was he going to get down on his knees and—

"Who's he?" Hiroko asked, pointing at Sasuke. "Will he play with us too?"

Gaara looked at Sasuke. Sasuke looked at Gaara. Gaara narrowed his eyes. Sasuke narrowed his. But in a heartbeat, Sasuke was on his knees and had Yuri in his lap. His eyebrow twitched. Kids. Sheesh.

"After this," Gaara said slowly, catching yet another fish for Hiroko. "I want to see Naruto."

"Ah."

* * *

"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled from the stage. "Check it out!" He spun so the audience could look at his ceremonial robes. "They added some new designs to it! Cool, huh?"

Sakura smacked her forehead. Could the Hokage be a _little _more graceful? He was about to perform the damn Hokage's dance after all. The people around her were crowding her personal space, so she stepped closer to Chōji. She peered down the line at Temari to make sure she was doing okay.

Temari seemed to be doing fine, but Sakura knew she needed to sit down soon. She shouldn't have been overdoing it. They had tried to find Gaara in this crowd of people, but the redhead had escaped their view. Plus, Temari got dizzy when they walked for too long. Sakura made up an excuse of anemia so no one would be suspicious.

Sakura sighed and stepped on her tip toes to look for Sasuke. Surely the Kazekage wouldn't miss _this _for the world. After all, it wasn't every day that the Hokage got to embarrass himself in front of his entire village. Chōji, noticing her desperation, wrapped his hands around her waist and thrust her butt on his shoulder.

"Can you see okay?" he asked.

"H-Hai!" Sakura said excitedly, looking around eagerly. "I'm sure I'll find Sasuke like this—"

The lights in the audience shut off and every last flame was extinguished. Sakura sweat dropped. It really wasn't meant to be. She couldn't find him in that darkness.

"It's okay, Chōji," Sakura sighed. "Let me down. We can look for him afterward."

He slowly let her down, making sure she was steadily on her feet before letting go. He opened his mouth to comfort the medic nin, when the sound of flutes met their ears. It was starting.

"Ne, ne, Hinata," Naruto hummed as the pair synced up, back to back under the spotlight. "This is our first time performing the Hokage's dance together."

"H-Hai, Naruto," Hinata said, determinedly thrusting her fan up in the air and catching it with ease.

She refused to embarrass Naruto by not knowing her part. As he performed the part of the dance that represented war, she performed a peaceful, flowing form. She flicked the fan open in front of her face, and fluttered it, shyly looking at the audience.

"I look forward to performing many more with you," Naruto whispered in her ear as he swept by her with the sword.

Hinata shivered and let her foot slide out from under her to get into a good defense stance. Naruto thrust the sword at her and she let it pierce the fan. She closed it tightly, twisting the sword out of his hands and up into the air. She took a deep breath. She caught it with one hand and held it to his throat.

They took a few steps, her holding the blade to his throat and him weakly holding his arms in surrender. He grabbed the pillar on the edge of the stage and swung around, knocking the sword from her hand. She drew another fan from her obi and opened it directly in front of her face.

"Wow," Ino whispered to Sakura, "He's actually good."

Sakura snickered. "That's because Hinata's there."

She watched in the corner of her eye as Temari ran from Shikamaru. Her brow furrowed.

"Sugoi!" Chōji gasped as Hinata flipped backward, away from Naruto who now had the sword back in his hands. "Who knew Naruto could be graceful?"

"Please do not ever use 'graceful' and 'Naruto' in the same sentence ever again," Sai said kindly. "I believe it is an oxymoron."

"_You're _an oxymoron," Sakura muttered, still looking to see where Temari had disappeared to.

She noticed Shikamaru was also missing. She bit her lower lip.

"Ne," Sakura said to Ino, "I'll be right back."

"But Naruto's actually doing well!" Ino whispered. "He hasn't killed anyone yet!"

Sakura clapped her hands together and held them up. "Gomen, demo..."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Hai, hai."

Sakura slipped by the different villagers as quickly as she could. She needed to find Shikamaru and Temari. She didn't know what was wrong, but something was _definitely_ up. She squeezed past a rather large person and pressed up against a woman. She skidded between small, empty spaces and ran through gaping holes.

Her sandal snapped, injuring her foot, but she couldn't care about that. She had to get to Temari.

Just when she thought she was in the clearing, she bumped right into the very person she had been hoping to see all night. He caught her before she fell back.

"S-Sasuke," Sakura said breathlessly, silently cursing his bad timing. "H-Have you seen Temari?"

Gaara, who stood slightly behind the Uchiha, heard his sister's name and took a step forward. "Temari?"

Sakura looked from the red eyed suitor and over to the Kazekage.

"Gaara-sama," she said worriedly. "Have you seen Temari?"

Gaara took the pink haired kunoichi in and glanced at Kankurō. His brother shook his head. With that negative response, Gaara looked at Sakura.

"No, we have not."

"Sh-Shimatta," Sakura cursed, pulling herself out of Sasuke's embrace and starting off again. "Come and get me if you find her."

To her surprise though, Gaara was running right beside her. She raised her eyebrows at the Kazekage.

"Something's wrong," he said, looking forward. "Tell me."

"Sh-She and Shikamaru left suddenly," Sakura explained, noticing Sasuke and Kankurō running right behind them. "I don't know what's wrong. She might be feeling ill..."

Gaara tore his gaze away from his path. "Why do you think she is ill?"

Sakura bit her lip. Patient/medic ninja confidentiality. Right.

"I can't tell you," she said. "But we need to hurry up and find her."

Gaara nodded. "Sasuke. Kankurō." He didn't look back at them. "Let's split up and find her."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I can't do that."

"I'll be safe with Sakura," Gaara replied. "Now go. This is the command of the Kazekage."

And so, a very reluctant Sasuke and a worried Kankurō disappeared and ran in a different direction. Sakura swallowed nervously. She knew it'd be better if they searched separately.

She just hoped Temari was all right.

* * *

"Damn it, woman," Shikamaru cursed as Sakura pressed her green hands to Temari's stomach. "Don't fucking _worry _me like that." He rubbed his head and turned his gaze away. "Damn troublesome woman trying to make me have a damn heart attack..."

Gaara looked at Temari with wide eyes. When they had found her, Shikamaru was laying her unconscious body on a bench, fretting loudly about what the hell he was going to do (he was a tactician, damn it, not a doctor!). Gaara wasn't sure what was wrong, but the fact that Sakura had to use her medical ninjutsu on Temari was enough reason for him to be concerned.

"She'll be all right," Sakura said for the thousandth time.

"And the baby?" Shikamaru asked immediately.

Gaara, for the first time since they had arrived on the scene, ripped his eyes away from Temari and to Shikamaru.

"The baby will be fine," Sakura confirmed. "She's just overly fatigued."

"Ugh," Temari groaned. "Stop shouting." She groggily tried to sit up and Sakura helped her do so. "Didn't you hear her? I'm fine."

Gaara looked back to his sister. So she was pregnant. He clenched his fists tightly.

"Sheesh," Temari moaned, leaning into Sakura. "One day you're fingering my vagina and the next you're saving my baby."

"What the hell?" Kankurō asked as he and Sasuke approached them. "You're pregnant?"

Sakura and Temari exchanged looks. With four men who had never been parents before and two women, one of which was pregnant and the other was a doctor, they knew they needed to get control of the situation. Sakura stood, allowing Temari to still hold onto her arm.

"I'm going to ask that you all remain calm," Sakura said sternly. "My patient is tired. And yes," she looked to Kankurō and Gaara, "she is pregnant."

"I didn't want you guys to find out like this," Temari grumbled as Shikamaru rubbed her back. "I was gonna go find you after the fireworks..."

"Could one of you get some water?" Sakura asked, concerned about dehydration.

Kankurō was on it. In a flash he was gone, back to the festival to get some form of water bottle for his beloved sister. He may have hated kids, but when it came to Temari, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her.

"You need to take it easy," Sakura reprimanded her. "No strenuous activity for too long. You can exercise, go on runs, and do pretty much whatever you want..." She frowned. "But don't stand for long periods of time. And try not to lift heavy objects."

"Hai, hai," Temari growled.

"When you're ready, Shikamaru will carry you home."

"D-Demo—"

Shikamaru sighed and nodded. "It's troublesome and you're heavy as fuck, but I'll do it."

Temari glared at him. "What the hell is _that _supposed to mean, dumb ass?"

"Temari," Gaara said.

She looked to her youngest brother. He was great with children. The ones in Sunagakure flocked to him like he was their personal toy to play with. His kindness and gentle heart was something they absolutely adored. But when it came to pregnancy, she knew he was still touchy. Their mother had died after giving birth to him, after all. It was understandable.

"I'm all right, Gaara," Temari yawned. "Don't worry." She placed her hands over her stomach and curled up against Shikamaru. "But this means you're gonna have to visit Konoha a hell of a lot."

Gaara didn't reply. He was still trying to process the fact that she was pregnant.

"Got it!" Kankurō shouted, running at them, full speed, with at least thirty water bottles in his hands.

Chōji was running directly behind, food from almost every concession stand in his hands. Sakura blinked and looked further behind them. Ino, Sai, Naruto, and Hinata were rushing at them as fast as they could. Sakura let out a laugh and looked down at the tired Temari. She stood in front of the pregnant woman with her arms folded.

"Shikamaru, you bastard!" Naruto shouted as he came closer, "Why didn't you tell me you knocked up—"

He ran straight into Sakura's fist. She glared.

"Baka," she snapped. "She's pregnant and fainted from fatigue. Give her some damn space."

"O-Oh it's so wonderful!" Hinata exclaimed, teary eyed. "Y-You're having a baby!"

Temari laughed tiredly and looked up at Kankurō. "You were only supposed to get water." She winced. "Not a fucking army."

"I thought you might be hungry," he replied, thrusting a thumb over his shoulder at Chōji. "This guy got you some goods just in case."

Kankurō was clearly uncomfortable. He had no idea what he was doing. And despite how he tried to keep his cool, it was plain as night and day he didn't know how to be an uncle. Shit, he didn't even _like _kids. How was he supposed to be a damn uncle?

Temari snorted. "Relax. I'm still me, Kankurō." She rubbed her belly. "With just a little extra."

"Shikamaru, I can't _believe _you didn't tell us!" Ino complained loudly as Kankurō handed Temari a water bottle. "We're supposed to be best friends!"

The father of Temari's baby just cleaned out his ear and yawned. "How troublesome..."

"Ch," Sasuke scoffed at Naruto who was still rubbing his head. "Baka."

"Urusai, _teme!_" he shouted.

"Oh, right!" Sai said, realization dawning over him as he watched his comrades. "Foreplay!"

Just then, the fireworks were released over Konoha. A burst of green light exploded in front of their eyes and the group was silent. But it was at this time that Gaara decided to look over at Temari and tell her what was on his mind.

"Omedetou."

* * *

"I'm fine, Sasuke," Sakura growled, "I can walk."

"Then walk," Sasuke snapped back.

When her sandal had snapped, she hadn't realized that it wasn't just her sandal that was damaged. She had twisted her foot pretty badly. And all of that running around looking for Temari didn't help things. The more pressure she put on it, the more swollen it got. Sakura would have normally healed herself, but spending all day at the hospital and then using up as much chakra as she could spare on Temari and her baby had exhausted her. No, Sakura had to go about things the old fashioned way.

She was reduced to nothing more than a normal ninja and it irked her until no end. So Sakura, head held high, forced her feeble legs to take three steps. She was well aware the Uchiha was watching her back. She knew he was right behind her. She kept forcing herself. On the fourth step, she found herself falling once again. Sasuke swooped in to pick her up, but she shoved him away.

"I am _not _relying on you," Sakura snarled. "I am one of the Sannin and I have just as much power as _you_, Sasuke—"

Sasuke lifted her arm up and around his shoulders. He looked at her stubbornly. "There. You can still walk. Just _lean _on me, Sakura."

Sakura eyed him warily as she put some of her weight on him. This was something she could tolerate. She refused to play the damsel in distress. For far too long she had let Sasuke and Naruto pick up her slack. She worked too hard to let that happen ever again. She let out a deep exhale and staggered with him out into the streets of Konoha.

"Don't you have to go guard Gaara?"

"They're spending the night at Shikamaru's and Temari's," Sasuke replied coolly. "I've been relieved of my duty tonight."

She was well aware of the looks she was getting as they walked together. The festival had ended just fifteen minutes earlier and people were still getting home. Two Uchiha symbols side to side, and the future mother of the Uchiha clan with the sole survivor. She knew how it looked. She glanced up at Sasuke.

He didn't seem to notice the looks at all. He was probably used to them, being a former traitor and all. He looked straight ahead.

Sakura frowned. She hadn't thought that her alone time with him at the festival would be spent like this. She wished she found him sooner. Even just a few minutes at the festival not involving an emergency would have been nice. She didn't get all dolled up just to play doctor to a fainting Temari.

Speaking of which...

He could have at _least _acknowledged she was wearing his mother's kimono. Or he could have commented on her beautiful hair style that Ino had been kind enough to help her with. Any kind of compliment would have been nice. He could have said _something _to let her know he cared.

I mean, seriously. Even Naruto knew how to compliment Hinata, and at times he was as dumb as a doorknob.

But no. Sasuke stayed silent.

She inwardly groaned. All she wanted was for him to swoop down and kiss her. She wanted him to tell her that he loved her. She wanted him to apologize for not being able to stay by her side all day. Of course, the great Uchiha-sama would never do that.

No. He was much too proud and had the emotional span of a cactus. Sakura narrowed her eyes angrily.

"Sakura," he murmured.

Sakura shivered. "H-Hai?"

"You enjoyed the festival."

Sakura blinked. Was that a question? Because it sounded like a statement.

"A-Ah," Sakura confirmed, the side of her body aching from leaning on Sasuke so much. "H-Hai. A-And you?"

"Hn," Sasuke hummed. "Tolerable."

Sakura frowned. She supposed that guarding Gaara had rendered him incapable of doing things he wanted. Sakura paused. She couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to spend the festival with him. Would he have gotten her gifts like Lee did for Tenten? Or would he just gently touch her here and there like Shikamaru had done for Temari?

With these questions going around in her head, Sakura said, "Next year, we should go together."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. He looked down at the blushing kunoichi. She wasn't looking at him. Did this mean that she wanted to be near him that day? Did it mean that during the festivities, she missed him? He averted his gaze. Was it too much to hope that this was a sign she was slowly warming up to the idea of being the mother of his clan?

If she was talking about the next year, did that mean he had a shot with her?

"Ah." He paused. He contemplated keeping his mouth shut. But it couldn't hurt to say it, could it? "...That kimono suits you."

Sakura's eyes widened. She bit her lower lip and swallowed hard. She tried to take deep breaths, fearing that he'd hear her pounding heart or feel it with his arm wrapped around her waist. He was so close. The warmth of his body collided with hers. Sakura found the pebbles on the ground to be very intriguing. They were much more interesting than Sasuke's face, that was for sure.

"A-Arigatou, Sasuke."

"Hn."

Yes. Sakura decided, her face red as her kimono, the ground was _very _fascinating._  
_


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Dattebayo: Has No Specific Translation (just think of "Believe it!"...ugh...English dub...)**

**Urusai: Shut Up**

**Ano: Uh/Um/Er**

**Hokage-iwa: Hokage Monument**

**Onee-chan: Older Sister**

Uchiha Sasuke was in a good mood. He scrubbed his hair and hummed. Correction: Uchiha Sasuke was in a _great _mood. He lathered himself thoroughly before dunking his head back under the flowing water. Just in the previous day, he had successfully guarded Gaara, escorted Sakura home, and managed to not totally fuck up the romantic mood. And hey, Shikamaru and he didn't even have to break out their protection plans for the two kages. No one had launched an attack on Konoha.

He smirked. Oh yeah. Uchiha Sasuke was the man.

He squirted conditioner in his hands and quickly rubbed them together. He slicked his fingers through his wet hair. The cool water ran down his eight pack and he sighed in satisfaction.

He couldn't help but give himself a mental pat on the back. For never showing a romantic interest in anyone before, he was doing pretty well. Granted, the flower attempt had been a complete and utter fail. But Hinata's advice on the kimono had worked nicely. He thought to himself. Maybe he'd pay her a visit in the next week.

Who knows what valuable advice she could give him next?

Sasuke heard the door click open. He wasn't worried. He knew it was Sakura. Maybe she had come to wash his back. Or perhaps she was more daring and wanted to shower with him. Sasuke pulled the curtain aside, prepared for the best sexual experience of his life. He was ready.

Sasuke looked at Naruto.

...Or maybe not.

"What the fuck, dobe?" Sasuke asked monotonously. "I'm _showering_."

"There's no time for that," Naruto said, his eyes wide and trembling.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Naruto only ever got that way when one of two things happened: either Hinata was on her period, or he had royally screwed something up that Sasuke was going to have to drag him out of.

"What's going on?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly, rinsing off his body before shutting off the shower.

"Do you know where Sakura-chan is?" Naruto asked cautiously.

Sasuke rubbed his head with a towel. "No. Why?"

What did Sakura have to do with anything?

Naruto let out a sigh of relief. "I just found out that her medical supplies for the hospital have been raided."

Sasuke paused. Yes. Naruto had royally screwed something up that Sasuke was going to have to drag him out of. He sighed and rolled his eyes. Typical.

"In Konoha?" Sasuke asked, stepping out of the shower fully nude, only using the towel to clean out his ears. "I can have my men on it as soon as I get changed."

"No," Naruto said, biting his nails nervously. "The supplies that were on their way from Iwagakure."

"Ah," Sasuke said thrusting his towel on a hanger and folding his arms.

Naruto stopped talking. He stared at Sasuke's body.

"O-Oi, teme," Naruto said, eyebrows raised.

"Ah."

"...I-It's pretty big. H-Huge...even."

"Urusai," Sasuke said impatiently, walking beyond Naruto and out to the hall.

He listened for any sign of Sakura. He frowned. So she had left while he was showering. It was a pity. Especially when such a fine specimen of a man was walking around the house naked. Sasuke glided into his bedroom and rummaged his dresser for clothing.

"So Iwagakure," Sasuke refocused Naruto from staring at his dick.

"Right," Naruto said, swallowing. That thing really _was _huge. "The medical supplies Sakura had ordered from Iwagakure have been...a-ano...misplaced."

"Misplaced?" Sasuke asked, throwing a grey shirt over his torso. "How'd that happen?" He shot the Hokage a look. "Who'd you send to get them?"

"Sh-Shino..."

He sweat dropped. While his usage of bugs _was _excellent and very helpful when it came to silent communication and deadly attacks, sending _Aburame Shino _to get Sakura's order was a terrible choice.

"I thought I hadn't seen him around," Sasuke hummed casually, thrusting on his black pants. "So how'd they get lost?"

"Apparently some rogue ninja Shino couldn't handle bombarded him," Naruto said. "I had Ino take a look at him when he returned early this morning, but..."

"But it's not long until Sakura finds out," Sasuke finished for him. "Do you know what her order was?"

"A-Apparently she needs some of their plant-life to make vaccinations for the villagers," Naruto said. "Shouldn't be a big deal, ne?"

Sasuke's look darkened. "Naruto, if Sakura had to _order _it from another _village_, I'd say it's a big deal." He glared. "_Baka_."

"Y-You don't think she'll be too mad at me for sending one guy to get her supplies instead of three, ne?" Naruto asked, sweating bullets. "I-I figured Shino could handle it. I-It didn't seem like such a bad mission, you know?

"Yeah?" Sasuke asked walking out of the room and down the hall. "She'll probably be furious."

Naruto saw his life flash before his eyes. He dropped himself at Sasuke's feet and wrapped his arms around his right leg.

"What the hell—?" Sasuke tried kicking Naruto off of him. "Get off, dobe."

"Oh _please, _Sasuke," Naruto begged, tears streaming from his eyes. "If Sakura finds out, she's gonna _kill _me! You've gotta help me! I'm gonna _die _if you don't! She won't kill me if you're there!"

Sasuke pocketed his hands and glared down at his blonde friend. "Why do you think I'm headed for the door, baka?"

Naruto blinked and peeked his head around the corner. Indeed, there was the entrance way to the Uchiha household. He looked up at Sasuke in curiosity. Was Sasuke seriously going to help him?

"Come on, dobe," Sasuke sighed tiredly. "Let's go to Ichiraku Ramen and figure this crap out."

"Yosh!" Naruto shouted, suddenly recharged. He leaped from the ground, landing swiftly on his feet. "Dattebayo!"

Sasuke smacked him on the head. "Urusai."

* * *

Haruno Sakura was exhausted. She glanced up at the clock. She was so worn out and it was only just past noon. Because of some _idiot's _concession stand, most of the Konoha villagers were suffering from food poisoning. That meant a whole shit ton of work for Sakura. Between changing bed sheets, shoving water down their throats, and reminding the patients to at least _try _to aim for the toilet, she was worn out. Some cases were so severe that she had to go in for operation to remove the threat. It was ridiculous.

So when she finally had a break to herself, she nearly snapped the receptionist's head off for calling her office, saying that there was someone waiting for her in the doctor's lounge. She was pissed. Was it Sasuke? It probably was that damn Uchiha. Well, he was going to have to get off of his little "rebuild the clan" horse and come down to her level. Seriously. She didn't have _time _to fuck him right there or deal with any of his avoidance bullshit. There was a hospital full of sick people that needed her.

So she dragged her feet tiredly as she angrily made her way down to the doctor's lounge. She was going to give him a piece of her mind. She was going to punch him right in that damn perfect face of his, tell him to grow a pair and then strut right back to work. Because unlike _some _people who could just take off work at the police station, _she _had a job where people's lives were at stake all the time.

Stupid, pompous asshole.

"Listen, you," she growled as she swung open the door. "I don't know_ who _you think you are, but you are _not _the fucking Hokage. You _cannot _order me around and I—"

Gaara rose from the couch he had been sitting on. He stared at her.

"I-I, a-ano," Sakura stammered, "I-I'm just gonna shut my mouth now." She coughed and pushed her pink hair behind her ear. "G-Gaara-sama, g-gomen. I thought you were..." She shook her head and sighed. "What can I do for you?" She eyed him warily. "Do you have food poisoning too?"

Gaara didn't seem like he had food poisoning. If he did, he would be leaning over the sink to her left and puking his guts out. The confirmation was the shake of his head. Sakura was glad. She wasn't sure if she could handle one more friend of hers projectile vomiting all over her. Dealing with Lee, Kiba, and Chōji was enough. She shuddered, recalling how she had to pump Chōji's stomach just that morning. She already had to shower in the nurse's quarters twice and went through two perfectly good dress of Mikoto-san's.

He looked calmly at her. "I understand you are very busy, Sakura." He tilted his head. "Head medical ninja of Konoha. Very impressive." He eyed her byakugō no in. "But not very surprising."

"Arigatou," Sakura replied. Hearing him compliment her was something she could get used to. "I worked hard for this position."

Sakura rubbed her shoulders tiredly. Gaara noticed.

"What's up?" she asked, taking off her white coat. "What can I do for you?"

Gaara looked thoughtful for a moment. "I need to speak with you."

He glanced around the room. He didn't have to say it, but he was hoping for a more private area. One where they could talk freely.

Sakura frowned. A hospital atmosphere didn't seem very appropriate for what he seemed to want to talk about. Besides, his visits in Konoha were normally short, so he probably wanted to walk around the village. Sakura could do that. She could walk around Konoha. She was kind of tired of looking at bodily fluids all day. She could use a break.

"Come on," she said, making her way back out the door she came from. She held it open for him. "Let's go for a walk."

Gaara grabbed his gourd and walked up to her. He reached above her to grip at the door and stayed stationary. She blinked up at him. She had held open the door for him to go through...and now he was holding open the door for her? She thought chivalry had died.

She blushed. "A-Arigatou."

Gaara watched her back as she walked. He raised an eyebrow at the Uchiha emblem. He hadn't realized she and Sasuke were married. He made a mental note to stay an appropriate distance from her while they talked. He and Sasuke were on decent terms and he did not want to cause any misunderstandings.

"We can walk around Konoha," Sakura said as he moved to stride alongside her. "That way you can sight see and talk at the same time."

Gaara didn't reply. He was, however, grateful for her thoughtfulness.

They passed by the receptionist. Sakura waved over her shoulder.

"I'll be back later," Sakura said. "Try not to kill any of our patients while I'm gone."

"H-Hai!" the receptionist squeaked, "Haruno-sama!"

Gaara looked forward as they walked out of the double doors. He held one open for her once again, and once more, she thanked him. He glanced back at the receptionist. He thought it odd that Sakura had not taken up the Uchiha name. She bore the emblem on her back, so surely she must have been married to Sasuke.

The sun hit their faces and Sakura smiled. She stretched her arms out and gazed up at Gaara. Although he was a quiet fellow, he was genuinely friendly. She could hardly believe that the traumatized child that had nearly killed her grew up to be such a fine man.

"All right," she said, "Where do you feel like going?"

Gaara quirked an eyebrow at her. She was asking him? He didn't even know the area all that well.

"Mmm," Sakura hummed, "Let's go to the Hokage-iwa." She grinned cheekily at him. "It's Naruto's favorite place."

Gaara's curiosity was peaked. "Ah."

* * *

"Send Kiba, Shino and Hinata," Sasuke said. "It'd keep the amount of talking in Konoha it to a minimum. Shino doesn't talk to anyone, Hinata keeps secrets well, and Kiba..." He sipped at his hot tea. "Well, he'll be gone before he has the chance to blab his fat mouth." He watched as Naruto slurped down the udon. "Plus, Shino did attach a bug to the ninja, after all."

Naruto nodded as Sasuke spoke. Sometimes it was a comfort to hear Sasuke speak logically. He was beginning to calm down. Maybe Sakura wouldn't find out. Maybe he could keep it on the down low and no one would ever have to know what happened to the supplies. Naruto sighed and pressed his forehead down on the counter top.

"Oh my," a male voice said behind them. "Are you two on a date?"

Sasuke and Naruto turned to find Sai and Kakashi standing there. They didn't have to ask who said the comment.

"Kaka-sensei!" Naruto said cheerfully, blatantly ignoring his other teammate, "Come! Sit down! Eat some ramen." He thrust a thumb over his shoulder at Sasuke. "Teme's treat!"

"So it _is _a date," Sai confirmed, sitting down next to Sasuke. "So sorry for intruding."

Sasuke glared. Sai smiled.

"I seem to have upset you," Said continued. "I won't tell Sakura or Hinata about your little affair."

Kakashi laughed, trying to ease the tension. "I hear everyone in the village enjoyed your performance, Naruto."

The Hokage beamed and folded his arms. "Of course!"

"I think they were more impressed that you didn't kill anyone this year," Sai added.

"Why you—"

Naruto tried to get at Sai from over Sasuke. The Uchiha ducked and took another sip of his tea. So typical of the two of them...how childish.

"And Sasuke," Sai said, using Sasuke as a shield from Naruto. "Was your date with Gaara-sama lovely? I hear you two played with the little children." He winked. "I hope you took it easy on their tiny bodies."

That was it. Sasuke and Naruto went toppling over as they both tried to get at Sai. Naruto, on top of Sasuke, glared up at Sai.

"Are we about to witness something naughty?" Sai asked.

"Get off, dobe," Sasuke growled.

"Damn it, Sai!" Naruto cursed as he rolled over. "I am _not _gay!"

"So with guarding Gaara all night, did you have a chance to spend some time with Sakura?" Kakashi hummed thoughtfully.

"...I escorted her home," Sasuke admitted as he rose to his knees, brushing the dirt off of his pants. He sat back in his seat. "She was having issues with her foot, so she couldn't walk alone."

Naruto's eyes sparkled and he forgot about his anger toward Sai for the moment. "Did you pick her up and whisk her away?" He clasped his hands together and shook his head happily while he pooched his lips out. "Did you wrap her in your arms and kiss her after you proclaimed your undying love?"

Sai took a gulp of the broth. "And you say you're not gay..."

"She wouldn't let me," Sasuke said truthfully. "She wanted to walk all the way home." He felt a little used. An Uchiha wasn't meant for a crutch. "She leaned on me a bit, though."

"You say anything about how pretty she was?" Naruto prodded, poking Sasuke in the stomach.

Sasuke shot a death glare at the Hokage. "Do that again and I'll break your fingers." He bit off some pork. "I told her the kimono suited her."

Kakashi started clapping slowly. Sasuke glanced at him. He stopped clapping.

"Gomen," he said cheerfully, "It's just you never compliment women, so I thought this deserved some form of praise."

Sasuke nearly fell over. Shit, was he that bad with women? Just when he thought he was starting to get the hang of things...

"If you can't tell her you love her, then start with the basics," Kakashi said. "It's like how I taught you guys when you were genin. I kept making you run up those damn trees day and night until you were able to use proper chakra control."

"So Sasuke just needs to run up a tree," Naruto said stupidly.

Sasuke hit Naruto upside the head. "Dobe."

"I'm _saying, _have you even asked her out on a proper date?" Kakashi asked. "Have you bothered trying to hold her hand?"

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. Were these things normal to do? They already shared a bed and a house together. He didn't feel the need to take her out on a date. He blinked. He had no idea what the hell he was doing. He looked at Naruto and Sai. They had women. They surely must have known something.

"A kiss, Sasuke," Kakashi said exasperatedly. "Just try kissing her."

Well, that he could do. He had done it before. He frowned. But that had been so he could look into her eyes properly to use his sharingan. That had been to take away her nightmares.

If he recalled, their only waking kiss had been initiated by Sakura. She had made the first move. Sasuke tilted his head. So since she already made her attack, was it time for him to make his?

"...How...?" Sasuke was struggling to find the words to convey his emotions. "How do you hold...someone's hand?"

Kakashi's and Naruto's eyes widened while Sai just smiled. "Ino just grabbed my hand the first time."

Kakashi wanted to smack his head against the wall. How could someone so _calm _and _collected _be so...so...romantically challenged? At least Naruto had enough sense to get Hinata to marry him. This Uchiha brat was hopeless.

Sasuke turned to Naruto expectantly. Naruto scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"W-Well," he said awkwardly. "H-Hinata and I sort of grabbed hands when we were in the Fourth Shinobi War. Sort of a heat of the moment thing, you know?"

No, Sasuke did _not _know. That was why he was _asking_.

Shit. With answers like these, Sasuke was screwed. How was he going to hold her hand? Did he ask her? Did he just grab it while they were walking? What the hell was he supposed to do?

"Hey, isn't that Gaara-sama?" Sai asked, pointing behind them.

"Eh?" Naruto shouted, turning and dumping his ramen all over Sasuke's pants. Said Uchiha hissed in irritation. "Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke whipped his head around so fast, he cracked his neck. Yes, there was Haruno Sakura walking beside the Kazekage. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. What were they doing together?

"Oh, are they on a date?" Sai asked.

There was a moment of silence. They looked at each other.

And then all four men of team seven scrambled their asses out of Ichiraku Ramen to follow the pair.

* * *

"I apologize for taking you away from your work," Gaara finally said after ten minutes of silence.

Sakura smiled. She didn't mind the quiet from him. He was a very straightforward guy that said things when he felt they needed to be said.

"No worries," Sakura said cheerfully as they walked up the steps toward the Hokage-iwa. "I was actually on break when you called for me."

"Ah."

Gaara looked at the faces of the mountain. He was curious as to why this was Naruto's favorite place.

As if hearing his question, Sakura locked her hands together behind her back and started talking. "You see Naruto's face up there?" Gaara looked at Sakura. "Well, a few faces to the left is his father." She smiled. "Since they couldn't be together in life, Naruto's glad they can at least be together on the monument."

Gaara stared at the pink haired kunoichi. "He told you this?"

Sakura shook her head sadly. "He didn't have to. We're sort of like brother and sister, you know?" She bit her lower lip. "Sometimes we can just tell what the other is thinking." She tapped her temple playfully. "Kind of like telepathy."

Gaara's eyes softened. He had known that this woman was precious to his dear friend. And he was starting to realize why.

They came to a halt at the top of the steps and Sakura motioned for them to walk toward the bench. Gaara allowed her to sit before he did so himself.

"So," Sakura said slowly. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Gaara didn't say anything. He was trying to find the right words to convey his feelings. Sakura smiled and reached out for his hand. He blinked as he looked down to find her fingers entwined in his.

"Take your time," Sakura assured him. "No need to rush."

She let go of his hand and leaned back. She looked up at the faces and smiled brightly. Yeah, she was damn proud of that annoying Hokage of hers. He had worked his ass off to get his face up there. Sakura had her moments of doubt, of course. But when she saw the fire inside of him that Hinata had seen right from the beginning, she knew there was no amount of water in the world that could put it out.

She peered at Gaara who was still deep in thought. He and Naruto were so similar. Their kindness really shone through the darkness like a laser of light pointing the way. Sakura couldn't help but admire the two of them for all of their accomplishments. He was a protector. A hero. Someone to rely on. He put everyone else first, making sure to leave no one out. Sakura smiled. Yes, he and Naruto were so similar.

"It is not easy for me to say this," Gaara said slowly, "So...I'm sorry if this comes out...strange."

Sakura nodded. While they had never been truly alone together, she still considered him a friend and a close ally. She smiled.

"Whatever it is," Sakura said. "You can tell me."

Gaara clenched the red material of his robe. "As you know...I just found out that Temari is pregnant." Sakura watched him carefully. "Kankurō and I will not be able to be by her side as much as we have been in the past." He seemed a bit saddened by this. "And as much as she tries to put on a strong front, I know she's been afraid of bearing children since our mother died."

Sakura watched his gentle eyes shift from the Hokage-iwa to her. The intensity of his gaze wasn't something she had prepared for. She gulped.

"What I am about to say to you," Gaara steadily said, "I hope you will take it very seriously."

He slowly stood and positioned himself in front of Sakura. He bowed deeply before her.

"Onegai," he said, a single tear trailing down his cheek, "As her doctor and our friend, take care of my onee-chan."

Sakura covered her mouth with her hands. She stared at Gaara in awe. He was bowing to _her._ The Kazekage. The man who stood side by side with Naruto in ability and inner strength. She felt a blush creep on her face. But now was not the time to be overwhelmed with emotion. She needed to be there for Gaara. She needed to comfort him. To reassure him.

So she did the only thing she could think of.

She hugged him.

"Gladly," she whispered into his ear. "I will _gladly _take care of your onee-chan."

She felt his hot tears drip onto her shoulder and she set a determined gaze on the face of her shishou. She'd take care of Temari the best she could. Tsunade didn't teach her medical ninjutsu for nothing. She took an oath to heal and protect. It was an oath she held close to her heart every day.

Gaara didn't have to say it, but Sakura knew what his worst fear was. He didn't want to lose Temari or the baby. He wanted what his mother and he never got—a chance at life together. He wanted Temari to experience the joys of being a mother, and the thrill of having a family of her own.

She slowly released Gaara and his calm, cool expression slowly came back. She smiled at him.

"I will take care of Temari," Sakura said confidently. "I will make sure both her and her child are safe." She nodded. "I am one of the Sannin. What I say goes, got it?" She felt a tear stream down her own face but she gave Gaara a thumbs up. "And I say I will make sure her pregnancy goes smoothly."_  
_

Gaara let out a small chuckle. It wasn't something Sakura was used to hearing. But it was a pleasant sound. One she hoped she would get to hear from him more often. He rubbed away his tears with the sleeve of his robe and smiled gently at her.

"Arigatou."

* * *

"I have no idea what happened to you," Sakura said, applying ice to the large bruise on Sasuke's forehead, "But you guys need to stop fooling around so much."

Uchiha Sasuke glared at her from the bed they shared. He wasn't going to bother explaining that the reason he _had _such injuries was because _someone _got a little too excited and fell down on top of him before he had a chance to react. Sasuke's temple throbbed.

When Kakashi, Sai, Naruto and Sasuke went off to follow Sakura, they were very surprised to watch what appeared to be a very passionate confession from Gaara to Sakura. Sai assured a goggle-eyed Naruto that, yes, it was common when asking the one you loved out to bow before them as a sign of respect. Sasuke had activated his sharingan to try and read their lips, but with Gaara bowed down and Sakura covering her lips with her hands and then _hugging _the Kazekage, it was very difficult to read.

But when Sakura had embraced Gaara, it had been too much for Naruto to handle. He, being at the top of the tree, crashed down on Sai, who crashed down on Sasuke who then nearly crashed down on Kakashi. The white haired ninja just barely managed to escape with a few bruises and some twigs in his hair.

"Mou, I can't leave you all alone, can I?" Sakura sighed, lowering the ice away and placing her glowing green hand on Sasuke's head. "You're lucky you don't have a concussion."

Sasuke looked at her. He was dying to know if it _was _a confession from the Kazekage. He wouldn't doubt it. She was a renowned medical ninja and her talent was known far and wide. But the hug had confused him. Whenever he rejected someone, he would just walk away after insulting them. Sakura, however, did things differently.

Regardless, she was sleeping in his bed. He at least had that advantage over Gaara.

"Did Gaara say anything to you yesterday?" Sakura asked Sasuke lightly.

He tensed. She was asking about Gaara now? He stared at her.

"I mean," she lowered her hand and tugged at his shirt so she could have better access to his wounds, "Did he mention anything about his past?"

Sasuke ground his teeth. "No."

Sakura nodded slowly. "Anything about his family?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes until he was looking out thin slits. "_No_."

Sakura sighed and let his shirt drop. Sasuke, however, took the hem and ripped it off his back. He was pissed. He was _really _pissed. Here he was, lying on a bed that they _shared _together while she was blabbering away about another guy!

Sasuke wasn't jealous. This wasn't jealousy. This was complete rage. He worked his _ass _off to get her to notice him and the second Mr. Sandman came into town, Sakura was all over him! How was that fair? How the _hell _was that fair?

"Sakura—"

She was touching his face again worriedly. Her jade eyes looking at his temple once more.

"I missed a scratch," she said softly, thumbing over the torn skin. "I'm usually not that careless." She chuckled. "Just hold still for a little longer."

Sasuke let the anger fall with his shirt to the ground. Her tender gaze bored into his forehead, and he kept looking at her. Her fingers glowed once more. But this time, he let his own hand raise to place it on top of hers.

She blinked and lost her concentration. The green glow faded. She looked at Sasuke. His warm fingers entwined with hers and he closed his eyes. He inhaled her sweet scent.

"Sakura," Sasuke said softly.

He drew her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. The feeling in her chest was similar to that of the whooshing she got when she would jump from very high places. Finding herself in his lap, Sakura's cheeks reddened and she tried half-heartedly to pull herself away.

"S-Sasuke—"

"Ch."

Like hell she was escaping.

He held her tighter.

She squirmed in response to his grip. "Sasuke, what are you doing?" She managed to yank herself out of his tight grasp and get some distance. "What the hell—"

She didn't say anything more. She couldn't.

_Th-Thump._

Not when his lips were pressed against hers.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Bātendā-san: Mr. Bartender**

**Hime-sama: Princess**

**Ni: Two**

**Honto ni?: Really?**

******Butanoshippo: Pigtail (a super fun Japanese card game that's played with three or more players)**

******Doko ni mite iru?: Where are you looking?/Too slow**

Uchiha Sasuke was pissed.

"And your vitals look pretty good..."

No. Really.

"We're just going to have to keep you here for a day or two to make sure everything's good..."

He was _pissed_.

"Sasuke, are you paying attention?"

Sasuke turned his head away stubbornly and folded his arms. He was in the hospital. The _fucking _hospital. And who was treating him? It sure as hell wasn't Sakura. He glared up at the blonde kunoichi. This irritating woman was incompetent compared to her.

"Look," Ino sighed, rubbing her tired eyes and looking down at her watch, "It's four in the morning and you need some rest. Why don't you just rest for a little while and then—Sasuke, you can't do that!"

Ch. Like _hell _he was staying in a hospital bed. Sasuke ripped the blankets off of him, tore out the IV and stood up quickly.

Oof. Bad decision.

The great Uchiha was on his ass before Ino could get to him in time.

"What the _hell _Sasuke?" Ino yelled, forcing him back into bed. "You've got a concussion! You can't just stand up like nothing's wrong!"

Sasuke's eye twitched. He folded his arms as she dug the needle back into his arm. Ugh. This was the worst. Sasuke couldn't remember anything. He remembered Sakura had been scolding him for roughing it with the men of team seven, but after that, it was all a blur.

"You passed out, okay?" Ino said, making sure his shoulders were to the mattress before letting go. "You can't just make sudden movements like that." She rolled her eyes. Damn Uchiha pride. "So just sit still."

Sasuke huffed while Ino clicked her pen over her clipboard.

"Are you feeling any confusion?"

Yeah. Like why Sakura wasn't treating him instead of this damn idiot.

"Do you feel slow in any way?"

Sasuke was half tempted to wrap his fingers around her throat and dare her to ask him again.

"Do you feel like vomiting?"

Only when he saw Ino's face.

"How about any headaches?"

Other than the one she was giving him?

"Ch," Sasuke sneered. "I'm fine."

Ino held a light up to his eyes. "But you don't remember anything at all?"

The panic in her eyes didn't escape him. "Ah."

"...Like...you don't remember anything...at all?"

"I remember Sakura was treating me," Sasuke said slowly. "And then nothing. I woke up here."

Ino swallowed. So it was true. Sasuke remembered _nothing _of what went on between him and Sakura.

"Great," Ino sighed in irritation. "Just fantastic..."

Before Sasuke could ask exactly _what _her problem was, the door slid open and an orange blur was in faster than the nurses could protest. Sasuke raised his eyebrows as Naruto looked over him carefully.

"Oh, so you're not dead yet," Sai said cheerfully, waving politely at one of the nurses. "So happy to see you alive! Now we can pay our last respects—"

"He's not gonna die," Naruto snapped. He looked at Ino, his eyes wide and trembling. "Right?"

Ino had to hold onto the window sill to keep herself from falling over. These people...

"No," Sasuke hissed, glaring at Sai and Naruto. "I'm _not _going to die."

"It's just a concussion," Kakashi said taking his time as he walked into the room.

"Exactly," Ino yawned. "Now, Sakura tells me you were roughhousing with these fools yesterday." She pointed at the rest of team seven. Naruto scowled in return. "Can you tell me how you fell?"

Naruto, Kakashi and Sai exchanged looks. Sasuke wasn't talking.

"W-Well," Kakashi laughed nervously, still feeling responsible for his students. "Y-You see..."

But he stopped talking. How were they supposed to explain what happened?

"Hai?" Ino asked, her hands on her hips.

"We were following Gaara and Sakura because they were on a date," Sai said. "We climbed a tree because we wanted to see better, but then Naruto fell down on both myself and Sasuke."

Ino smiled at her lover. She knew she could count on him.

"_Sai!_" Naruto rounded on him. "You're not supposed to tell her that!"

Sai blinked. "Oh?"

He rummaged through his back pocket to flip through "Bro Code". Perhaps he had said something he shouldn't have.

"Gaara and Sakura?" Ino asked, looking confused, "On a _date?_"

Impossible. Totally impossible.

"He bowed and everything," Naruto said, his blue eyes sparkling in mischief, "And then she _hugged _him."

Ino shook her head. "I don't believe that. There's no way she and Gaara would—" She paused. "...She hugged him?"

Naruto grinned. "Oh yeah. Wrapped her arms around him and everything."

Ino giggled. "Oh my..."

She looked down at a seething Sasuke. Looks like the Uchiha had competition.

"Oh!" Sai exclaimed, finally finding what he needed in the "Bro Code", "According to this, I'm not supposed to talk about your idiotic blunders and mistakes in front of women." Sai nodded and went to Sasuke's side. He clasped his hands tightly. "I will never speak of your inability to perform coitus in front of Sakura again."

Sasuke smacked Sai on the head.

"Seems like your reflexes are still good, Sasuke," Ino said thoughtfully.

"We still need proof though," Kakashi said slowly. "Naruto." He turned on him. "Talk to Gaara about it later today."

Sai smiled down at a very irritated Sasuke. "Must suck to have your girl swept off her feet by the Kazekage, huh?"

"Must suck to have no penis," he snapped in return.

Sai blinked. Oh wow. It must have been bad if Sasuke was throwing words back. Normally he'd just glare.

"Speaking of which," Kakashi said thoughtfully, "Where _is _Sakura?" He rubbed his chin. "I figured she'd be the one taking care of Sasuke."

Ino sweat dropped. She couldn't tell them. She was sworn to secrecy.

"G-Good question..."

Sasuke, noticing her guilty attitude, glared at Ino. "Where is she?"

"Sh-She's...a-ano..."

* * *

"One more, bātendā-san!" Sakura slurred.

"_This _is how we need to spend mornings!" Tsunade cheered happily as she swung back sake. "No Shizune to hold me back!"

"Sasuke no baka!" Sakura hiccuped, leaning on the counter top. "Naruto no baka! Shizune no baka...no baka..."

"Ah, well," Kurenai sighed, sweat dropping, "I have nothing better to do..." She glared at the former Hokage. "It's not like I have a _kid _at home."

"Shikamaru will take care of her," Sakura assured her. "He's a responsible young adult that knocked up Temari." She giggled. "Responsible..."

Kurenai rolled her eyes and sipped at her own sake. She planned on getting drunk. _Very _drunk.

"So he kissed you," the seductress said, throwing down her cup and waving bātendā-san over their way. "And then he passed out." She tilted her head. "Am I missing anything?"

"I had to carry him to the hospital," Sakura sighed. "_That _was really romantic."

Really though. She couldn't believe she had to carry him with her arms under his knees and behind his back. It was like she was cradling a baby the whole way. He was lucky she had super human strength or else it would have taken twice as long to get to the hospital.

"You carry him like a hime-sama?" Tsunade laughed.

"Hai," Sakura droned as bātendā-san refilled their drinks.

"A-Are you sure you should be drinking at this time?" he asked hesitantly. "It's only nine in the morning..."

"Oi," Tsunade said angrily. "It is _never _too late to start drinking."

"Early," Sakura corrected her. "You mean early."

Tsunade turned her glare on her student. "It's late somewhere."

"Hai, hai," Kurenai agreed.

"The worst part about it," Sakura hiccuped, "Is that he doesn't remember _anything_."

"I can think of something worse," Tsunade laughed.

"No way," Sakura said, waving her hand in front of her, dismissing her shishou's idea. "Nothing could be worse than that."

"Oh yeah?" Tsunade said, leaning on her. "You know how concussions make people confused?"

Sakura nodded slowly. "Hai."

"Well, what if that kiss was just him confused?" Tsunade snorted. "What if he didn't mean to kiss you?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "You're right. That _is _worse_."_

Kurenai felt for the pink haired kunoichi. She really did. At least Asuma had remembered their first kiss. Sasuke wouldn't even be able to recall when he finally made the first move. The dark haired woman sighed.

"Let's just say for a moment, he didn't mean to kiss you," Kurenai said, starting to feel the effects of alcohol. "Point is, he _did._ Which means somewhere in that thick skull of his is a brain."

"No," Sakura gasped drunkenly. "Sasuke has a brain?"

Tsunade started laughing and hiccuped. "He also has two heads." She giggled. "Get it?" She held up two fingers. "Ni!"

"And in that brain," Kurenai continued, undeterred by the interruption, "'Are thoughts of _you_."

"He kissed me," Sakura slurred.

"Hai!" Tsunade shouted, gulping down as much alcohol as she could in one sitting. "He kissed you!"

"And he doesn't remember it," she said, letting her cheek fall on the counter top. The counter was nice. The counter wouldn't forget her. "What am I supposed to _do?_"

"Well, you have a few options," Kurenai said, her cheeks lightly tinted red. "The first is you could pretend that it never happened and wait for him to kiss you again." She nodded. "It could happen." She folded her arms. "Or you could go ahead and make your own move on him."

"But I _can't _kiss him," Sakura insisted. "He needs to love me."

"And _you _need to seduce him," Kurenai shot back. "Kissing is fair game."

Sakura sighed and let her fingers run along the counter top. Yes. It was a very nice counter top. If she kissed it, it wouldn't forget about it. She frowned. Stupid Sasuke.

"Set some ground rules for yourself," Tsunade added as she somehow managed to slip past bātendā-san and smuggled three large bottles of alcohol.

"Exactly," Kurenai said as Tsunade handed her a bottle of alcohol. She popped it open and started drinking it like it was water. "Sasuke wants sex from you. So just give him everything but."

Sakura's eyes widened as Tsunade slid her her own serving of the delicious alcohol. "H-Honto ni?"

"Hai!" Kurenai said, throwing the bottle down and wiping her chin. "But make sure if you do anything, don't let him release." She winked. "Torture him a little."

"Mou," Sakura hummed, inhaling the alcohol. "You both are too much." She pressed her lips to the black counter top and giggled. "But it couldn't hurt to try..."

"Just make sure you visit him in the hospital once you sober up," Kurenai said. "Slobbering drunks are _not _sexy."

Tsunade nodded. "One time, I was so drunk I came home to Dan and threw up all over him." She sighed wistfully. "He still stuck with me though."

"Hai, hai," Sakura replied. "I won't go visit him until I'm sober."

"Put on that sexy little nurse outfit I've been trying to get you to wear for years," Tsunade sighed. "He won't be able to resist."

"No way," Sakura gurgled. "That outfit is slutty."

"Exactly!" Tsunade said.

Kurenai thought for a moment. "Have you tried the tub trick?"

"Tub trick?" Tsunade asked.

"Ah," Kurenai said with a nod, "It's where you masturbate with the door unlocked while your guy is in the house..." She grinned. "Works every time."

"Kiba walked in instead of Sasuke," Sakura said.

Tsunade and Kurenai sweat dropped. Well, that was a complete fail.

"Th-Then how about the kitchen tricks?"

"I tried every single last one of them," Sakura confessed. "They didn't work."

Kurenai narrowed her eyes. Uchiha Sasuke was tougher than she thought. "It's time to break out the big guns."

* * *

"G-Gaara-sama," Hinata stammered, laying out tea for both Naruto and the Kazekage. "It is so nice to see you again."

Gaara smiled. "A pleasure as always, Uzumaki-san."

"Th-Then I'll leave you two alone," Hinata said, walking away and back to the kitchen. "I-I'll have lunch ready in about thirty minutes."

Kankurō, who was standing behind Gaara, looked betweeen the two kages. He glanced at the retreating Hinata.

"I'll go help her," he said, shooting a look at Naruto.

Naruto looked at his wife fondly as she led the puppeteer away. Gaara took a sip of tea before placing it down on the table.

"I'm assuming that this is not one of our usual talks," Gaara said slowly, shifting on the couch he sat on. "Otherwise it would have been over ramen."

Naruto grinned. "Ah." He chuckled at the memories of getting Gaara to eat with him there. He had been hesitant at first, but after their first time, Gaara was more and more keen to the idea. "I have something to ask you."

Gaara readied himself. Whatever Naruto was about to ask him, it must have been serious. He hadn't seen that look in the Hokage's eyes for quite some time.

"Do you have feelings for Haruno Sakura?"

Gaara held back his surprise. Naruto was set on asking him this, so he would treat that question with respect.

"No," he confirmed steadily. "I do not."

Naruto, hearing his answer, sank back in his seat and sighed. Another question popped in his head.

"And Sakura-chan," Naruto continued. "Does she have feelings for you?"

Gaara was confused. "She has a husband. Uchiha Sasuke. Why would you ask?"

Naruto laughed uneasily. "Sasuke's not her husband."

Gaara was curious. "He's not."

Naruto shook his head and scratched his cheek. "He asked her to rebuild his clan. She..." There was no easy way to put this. "...flat out rejected him."

"Yet she wears the Uchiha emblem," Gaara said slowly.

"Her apartment, ah, _accidentally _burned down," Naruto said. "So she's staying with him for a while."

Gaara knew that tone. Naruto had done something he didn't want to admit to.

"Naruto," Gaara said softly. "I would like you to confide in me. What exactly is going on here?"

Naruto gulped. "Ah...well...The council of Konoha thinks it's important that Sasuke builds his clan back up. They want to strengthen the village. And they like the idea of Sakura helping him out, since she's a legendary Sannin...S-So they gave me three months before I have to give her the order. I've been trying to get them together, but..."

Even as he said it, Naruto felt ridiculous. Seriously. What kind of Hokage was he?

Gaara looked at Naruto with understanding eyes. "So you had her apartment burned down to speed the process along."

"Ah," Naruto said tiredly.

"Does Sakura know about this order?"

"Ah," he said. "I wanted to give her fair warning."

"And Sasuke?"

"I'd rather keep him out of it," Naruto said slowly. "I have a bad feeling he'll do something rash if he finds out."

Gaara nodded. Uchiha Sasuke did seem like a very angry person. The same way Gaara had once been before Naruto. Sasuke, despite his convergence back to Konoha, was still in the darkness. If he found out he was being suppressed and ordered, he would either retaliate or sink further into that dark state of being.

"What are you hoping to accomplish by them living together?" Gaara folded his arms in contemplation. "A stronger bond?"

"Heh, it seems to be working," Naruto replied. "Sasuke's been opening up about his feelings more. And Sakura's trying to make him love her, but..."

Gaara thought for a moment. "A loveless marriage. It's not uncommon." He watched as Naruto seemingly sank further. "But it's not something I'd wish on anyone. Even if it's for the sake of your village, this must be very taxing on you."

Naruto rubbed his neck. "Yeah. I don't want to have to give her the order..."

Gaara felt conflicted for the poor Hokage. On one hand, for the sake of the village, he would give an order that would benefit the majority. On the other, he was sentencing his closest friends to a miserable marriage. Gaara closed his eyes. This needed to be dealt with delicately.

"If, by the end of the three months, Sakura does not manage to gain the Uchiha's love," Gaara said, opening his eyes again. "What do you plan to do?"

Naruto smiled sadly. "I'll give her the order..."

Gaara looked at Naruto in shock.

"...to get the hell out of Konoha."

Gaara's stare relaxed. That was Naruto's answer. A very courageous one at that. Despite the self sacrificing cycle both he and Naruto had been subjected to, they had a silent agreement to make sure no one had to suffer by their hand. Naruto took that oath seriously.

"A noble thought," Gaara said honestly, "But impractical."

Naruto shook his head. "I can't force her to marry someone who doesn't love her. As much as I want to believe that Sasuke loves her, as much as I have looked into his heart and _know _he loves her..." He felt hot, acidic anger bubble inside of his chest. "I'm not going to let someone who can't even face their feelings marry her."

Gaara nodded. "The Uchiha...if he cannot love her, he can marry another. There are women who would be honored to bear his children." The redhead took another sip of his lukewarm tea. "Sakura, on the other hand..."

"She's suffered so much because of him," Naruto said, shaking his head. "She needs happiness. She has waited for so long...I can't make her do something like that. I can't make her marry..."

Naruto felt the tears before he realized he was crying. His eyes widened for a split second. He closed them, trying to block them out. Gaara watched as his friend caved.

He chuckled. "I can't do this to her."

Gaara had already decided. The moment Naruto had brought up Sakura, he knew there was something more Naruto wanted to ask of him. He had not just brought him there to have idle chit-chat about his non-existent feelings toward the medical ninja. He was prepared.

"Naruto," he said. "Tell me what you really called me here for." He watched as the Hokage raised his face to meet his gaze. "Anything you ask, I will do."

* * *

"Yosh!" Lee cried thrusting a fist in the air as he, Chōji, and Kiba sat on Sasuke's bed. "Let's do this!"

Sweat ran down Chōji's face while Kiba grinned. There was no way he was going to lose this.

"Ready?" Kiba sneered.

"Oh, it's _on_," Chōji said excitedly.

All three looked to Sasuke. He rolled his eyes.

"Hn."

"Go!"

In a flash, Lee had flipped over a joker card. All of them scrambled to get their hands on the card and piled them up. Sasuke's hand was last. Kiba laughed.

"It really helps playing with a guy that has a concussion," he snorted. "Doko ni mite iru?"

"Ch," Sasuke scoffed as he took all of the cards that had been flipped over in the game.

"Sasuke, it's your turn!" Lee said excitedly.

"Ah," he said, reaching for a card at random.

He flipped it over. He was disappointed when it wasn't an "attack" card.

Sasuke sighed and shook his head. Those three idiots had walked past his room by luck. Apparently they had been admitted to the hospital due to food poisoning from the festival. While Sasuke wasn't really a fan of childish games such as butanoshippo, he had to admit he enjoyed their company. Naruto, Sai and Kakashi had left in the morning and Sasuke had been _bored_.

When Lee, Chōji, and Kiba saw him in the hospital, though, they immediately made themselves at home in his private room. His boredom was cured.

He smirked as Chōji turned over an "attack" card. His hand was on top of his in a flash, quickly followed by Lee's. Kiba was the last to make it.

"Heh, losing against a concussive patient," Sasuke said cockily, "Doko ni mite iru?"

Payback for the concussion remark.

"Urusai!" Kiba snapped, picking up the two cards that had been flipped over. "I'll get you next time."

"Huh," Chōji said looking up at the doorway.

"What's up, Chōji?" Lee asked, watching the cards very carefully as Sasuke flipped over a card.

"Just wondering why Sakura hasn't come to check up on Sasuke," he said slowly. "She hasn't been to the hospital all day, has she?"

Kiba grinned. "She's probably too busy masturbating to concentrate on anything else." Kiba shrugged casually. "I mean, she was way too busy masturbating to notice me the other day—"

The cards were knocked from Sasuke's bed and the Inuzuka was grabbed once again by the neck. He was slammed roughly into the ground by a _very _angry Uchiha.

"_What did you just say?_" he snarled, looking fiercely down at Kiba.

"I thought you said you didn't see anything!" Chōji said worriedly. "You said the bathroom was too dark!"

"I _didn't _see anything," Kiba confirmed, aware that Sasuke's hands were wrapped around his collar. He smirked up at the red eyed Uchiha. "That doesn't mean that I didn't _hear _anything—"

Sasuke punched him. Sasuke actually punched him. And it wasn't his normal playful hits he gave Naruto when he was being an idiot. No, this was a full out punch that was meant to kill. The tile beneath Kiba's head cracked.

"Fuck!" Kiba cursed. "Damn it!"

"Sasuke, I don't think it's good to get so angry," Lee said in concern. "You're still suffering from a concussion."

"_Kiba_ will suffer from a concussion if Sasuke doesn't stop," Chōji added on.

"Like I _give _a fuck," Sasuke snarled, dragging Kiba up by his neck. "You _damn dog_, what the _hell _did you hear?"

Kiba laughed. He held his hands up to signal his surrender. "Don't get your panties in a twist, Uchiha."

Sasuke was livid. He was ready to kill this damn bastard and he was _laughing _at him? Sasuke activated the mangekyō sharingan. He was about to fulfill the promise he had made a few days prior.

"_Talk._"

"It's nothing to be angry about," Kiba choked out, still chuckling nervously. "She's actually pretty sexy when she—" He yelped as Sasuke tightened his grip. "All right! All right! She was masturbating while moaning your name, okay? Would you let off now? Jeez..."

Sasuke let Kiba go immediately. He suddenly felt light headed again, but not because of the concussion. He blinked. Sakura had been _what?_

"You're shitting me," Sasuke got out.

"I'm _not _shitting you," Kiba said, straightening out his shirt and making his way to pick up the cards that had scattered all over the room. "She was masturbating to _you_, baka."

Sasuke blinked. He knew she loved him. That much was obvious. But he had no idea...

He felt his lips curl upward.

He had no idea she could be so _naughty_.

Now, Uchiha Sasuke wasn't one for simple, sweet romantic gestures. Hand holding, kissing, and cuddling were all things he had _no _idea how to approach. He was more of a straightforward, action kind of a guy. He took what he wanted, when he wanted it. He was calm, cool, and collected at all times.

When it came to sex, though...

Sasuke smirked.

He was a sex god.

Sasuke knew his effect on women. He had had a natural sexual appeal ever since he was young. Women threw themselves at him like he was their savior. He may never have had sex before, but he knew what to do. He had only fantasized about it for years, wondering what he was going to do to that little vixen once he had her in his grasp. He was going to find out every single last one of her desires. He would memorize every inch of that delectable body of hers. He knew what he wanted, and Kiba had unwittingly just given him the "go ahead" he needed.

Kiba, Lee and Chōji watched as Sasuke slowly stood. The atmosphere around him had suddenly changed. From deadly to cool. From friendly to smoldering. And then they heard it. Something that would haunt their dreams for years to come.

His laughter.

* * *

Haruno Sakura was exhausted and had a huge headache. She had drunk most of the morning away with her shishou and sex sensei and spent the afternoon trying to sober up with water, Ino's hangover cure and a bucket. Once she was decent (and not vomiting everywhere), she made her way to the hospital.

She was _so _tired of it all. She had _finally _gotten a kiss with Sasuke and he didn't remember it at all. Well, that was just great. Just _fucking _great. She slammed open the hospital double doors and glared at the receptionist. The woman wisely chose not to say anything to her.

She slid her feet along the ground as she walked past the fearful woman and down the hallway. Was it too much to ask for things to go her way for once? Was it too much to ask Sasuke to love her? They had been living together for almost three weeks. She deserved _some _kind of reward for putting up with that damn blockhead.

Where'd he get off in kissing her like that? He just fucking passed out the minute he pulled away! She didn't even get to _look _in his eyes to see if he loved her. Damn concussion...

She stomped up the stairs, the tiles cracking underneath her with each step she took. She didn't even know why she was bothering to visit him. He was probably just going to be a cold-hearted bastard throughout her entire visit. Sometimes she wondered if the icicle shoved in his ass would ever melt.

Sakura finally came to the third floor, where she pressed open the door and marched down the hallway. Room 306. She could do this. She came to a stop in front of his door way, took a deep breath, and slid it open. There, shirtless and looking out the window, was Uchiha Sasuke.

Sakura inhaled and slid the door shut behind her. She couldn't believe what she was about to do. But she wanted them to progress, so she had to.

"Sasuke, how're you feeling?"

Sasuke looked at her. His eyes flashed. "Good. How was your day?"

Sakura chose not to answer. "You'll be able to leave in the morning, but you'll need to take it easy for the next few days."

Sasuke didn't reply.

"You must be pretty _bored _in here," Sakura said, brushing her hair behind her ear.

Sasuke heard the change in her tone. His ears perked up.

She smiled at him and leaned forward. Her breasts were right in front of his face. "Your IV needs to be adjusted."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. They were right there. He could grab them if he wanted. He held back. He would wait. He wasn't going to make his move on her just yet.

She sat down in the stool next to his bed and whipped out an apple. "Care for dessert?"

Sasuke watched her wrap her hands around the apple and slowly cut away at the skin. Her soft hands held the fruit as she made her way around it. And just when she was about to finish, she sliced her finger.

"Ah!" she moaned. She held up the small wound for Sasuke to see. "A small cut."

She let her index finger hover just in front of her lips. Before she could let it enter, Sasuke had grabbed her hand. He saw the surprise in her eyes and smirked. He led her fingers to his lips and he licked.

Sakura's eyes widened. Kurenai had said to disinfect the wound herself by pushing it into her mouth. Something about watching a woman suck her own fingers was apparently a turn on. But she never thought that Sasuke would take the initiative.

He flicked his tongue along her skin and kept his gaze on hers. Sakura shivered and tried to suppress the tingling sensation inside of her core. He watched her eyes soften and her cheeks flush. He smirked. So Kiba had been right after all. The pink haired kunoichi desired him as much as he desired her.

He let her finger exit his mouth with a small 'pop' and allowed her hand to fall to her side limply. She stared at him in awe.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow up. "Better?"

Sakura snapped out of her trance. "M-Much." She placed the unfinished apple on his bedside table and scrambled up from her chair. "I-I...I have work to do, so just...call me if you need me."

She was out the door faster than Sasuke could reply. He let out a laugh. He'd have her _begging _to help him rebuild the Uchiha clan at this rate. So all it took for her to become his was seduction?

Very well then.

Sasuke's eyes darkened.

Let the games begin.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Demo: But**

Sunlight poured through the windowsill like a waterfall. It bathed Uchiha Sasuke in warmth and light. He smiled softly, remembering how trapped in darkness he had once been. He was grateful to Naruto for dragging him kicking and screaming from that emptiness. But he also had to thank a certain pink haired kunoichi for it as well.

She had been the light behind the curtains Naruto pulled. He had known that for a long time. But in his darkness, he could turn away from the light. He could draw that curtain shut. So when Naruto ripped those blinds away and punched out the window, Sasuke had been overwhelmed with her presence.

She was his light. He was her darkness. He knew he wasn't right for her. He knew she deserved better. She was worth a man who could tell her he loves her. And Sasuke could barely think the words, let alone let them fall from his tongue. But he couldn't leave her alone. He couldn't let her go.

Sasuke thumbed through her pink hair. Her head was in his lap. He was getting used to waking up next to Haruno Sakura. He had been surprised though. He hadn't expected her to sleep on the stool in his hospital room. He tilted his head back and sighed. He wasn't going anywhere with her in his lap.

Not that he was complaining. He actually enjoyed the warmth crawling through his thighs. Sasuke was a little shocked though. When had she come into his room? Had he been so tired that he didn't realize or had she purposely been silent as she came in so she didn't have to deal with his questions?

Not that he would have asked what she was doing there.

Her place was with him, after all.

His head was still fuzzy from the concussion. He felt like he was forgetting something _very _important. Sasuke frowned. What could it have been? He let his fingers sweep along his lips. What was it?

Sasuke let the back of his hand brush her cheek. He had been _very _pleased to find out she was pleasuring herself while thinking of him. Granted, he secretly wished he could have been the one to walk in on it, but Kiba was a fine messenger. Despite the fact that Kiba had nearly seen Sakura naked, and heard her moans of pleasure, Sasuke was very pleased with the information he had. Sasuke knew he almost had Sakura's heart. He just needed to tug her strings a little more.

Sasuke stretched his arms and grabbed the squishy pillow from behind his back. It was time for him to go. He had things to do and plans to make. As quickly as he could, he shoved the pillow gently under her sleeping face and pulled his legs out from under her. Sasuke kept his eyes on her closed ones the entire time. He didn't need her waking up to find him leaving right then. He leaped out of bed quietly and made his way toward the door.

He slid open the door and glanced back at Sakura. He frowned. Something wasn't right. He walked back over to her and stared. She was slumped over on a very uncomfortable stool. She also only had her white medical coat to keep her warm. He looked at his hospital bed. He snatched up the blanket and threw it over her. There. That was better. He turned on his heel and swiftly exited the room.

But as soon as he stepped out, he came eye to eye with Kakashi. He raised an eyebrow.

"Yo," Kakashi said as Sasuke slid the door behind him. "I was just coming to check up on you, but," his old sensei caught sight of some pink hair before the door was fully closed, "I see Sakura's already done that for me."

Sasuke walked past Kakashi. He didn't want their voices waking up Sakura.

"You've got another agenda, Kakashi," Sasuke said as they walked.

Kakashi smiled. His students always were brighter than they appeared.

"Sasuke, is it just me..." Kakashi said carefully, "...or are you cockier than usual?"

Sasuke shot Kakashi a look. "I just found out something...interesting from Kiba the other day." Sasuke folded his arms as he walked. "Nothing unusual."

"The thing about Sakura masturbating to the thought of you?" Kakashi asked, ignoring Sasuke's raised eyebrows. "Yeah, the whole village knows now, thanks to that loud mouth."

Sasuke grinned.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "I know that look." They came to the stairwell. "Sasuke, what are you planning?"

Sasuke opened the door and went through it. He wasn't going to explain to an old pervert about his plans for Sakura. And trust, the plans he had for her were many and detailed. He wasn't going to let her escape his grasp.

"Sasuke, I told you to start with the_ basics_," Kakashi said, the wheels in his head turning. "Hand holding, dating—Have you even properly _kissed _her yet?"

"Ch."

"I mean it, Sasuke," Kakashi reprimanded him. "You need to go about this in the right way."

"The right way is taking too damn long," Sasuke snapped. Their footsteps echoed as they walked down the stairs. "If I keep up that slow ass pace, we're not going to rebuild my clan for another ten years."

Kakashi sighed. "It's not always about your clan, Sasuke."

Sasuke was getting irritated. Sakura wanted him. It was the knowledge he needed to pursue her sexually. He had been trying romantically, but that clearly wasn't reaping many significant rewards. He had waited for too long. While the Uchiha was patient, he wasn't satisfied with small, sweet victories between the two of them. He needed more.

The pair burst out the door and walked toward the lobby. Sasuke didn't even stop for the stammering receptionist who was blabbering about how Sakura wasn't going to be very happy. Sasuke sneered. She should join the club.

He was _sick _of getting rejected. He had asked her to rebuild his clan twice, and then she managed to make him jealous of the damn Kazekage. Sasuke didn't get jealous! Sasuke wasn't going to put up with this. He was going to make Sakura succumb to his needs. He was going to make her desire him like she had never desired him before. Her fantasies and dreams would be only of him.

He was going to rip away whatever romantic feelings Sakura had for Gaara once and for all. He was not going to stand aside and watch his future wife flirt with another man. Not when they were sharing a bed. Not when she told him repeatedly that she loves him.

Kakashi stopped walking with him once they reached the outside of the hospital. Sasuke left him behind. He didn't need the useless ramblings of an old man. He just needed to get the hell out of there. He needed to get away from that damn hospital.

"I know you're going to do what you want," Kakashi said quietly, his voice carrying to Sasuke's ears, "But at least think of Sakura. She's been waiting for you her whole life. Compared to that, ten years doesn't seem so bad."

* * *

"So?" Ino asked, wiggling her eyebrows at the head medical ninja. "Did Gaara ask you out?"

Sakura lifted her head from her desk to stare at the blonde. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Sasuke saw everything," she pressed, leaning against the corner of the desk. "Come on, come on. You gonna tell me or what?"

Haruno Sakura had no idea what Ino was going on about. She looked at Ino like she grew two heads. Gaara asking her out? Sakura felt her cheeks blush. _That _was never gonna happen.

"Sasuke was all hot and bothered by it yesterday," Ino pushed, tugging the collar of her shirt out for emphasis. "How'd you manage to snag the Uchiha _and _the Kazekage in one month?"

Sakura blinked. "I-Ino, Gaara-sama didn't ask me out."

Ino raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to lie, Sakura. If you want to get sand all up in your vagina, I fully support it."

Sakura covered her mouth in horror. She couldn't even _imagine _doing it with Gaara. She didn't want to think about the possibility of having sand rubbing harshly inside of her folds. She winced. That would be way too painful with a hell of a lot of chafing.

"Ino!"

"What?" Ino said, smiling and shrugging confidently. "You can date two of the three hottest men alive." Ino winked. "Sai being number one, of course. You can have second and third place."

"Ino, Gaara did not ask me out," Sakura insisted.

"Oh, really?" Ino asked, crossing her legs. "Then why were you hugging him?"

Sakura's eyes widened. She hadn't realized Sasuke had seen that. She bit her lower lip. She couldn't tell Ino what Gaara had asked of her. That was a private moment between her and the Kazekage. Despite rarely ever talking one on one, Sakura knew that what she had experienced with Gaara was rare. He had asked her to take care of Temari in his place. She wasn't about to betray his trust in her confidentiality.

"A-Ano," Sakura stammered.

She couldn't find a good enough reason fast enough.

"See?" Ino laughed. "So don't deny it."

Sakura rubbed her aching head. It was no use. She couldn't convince Ino without exposing Gaara. And Haruno Sakura may have been many things, but a lousy friend was not one of them.

"Ah..."

"So what are you gonna do?" Ino asked. "The Kazekage or the Uchiha?"

Sakura sighed. "Neither." She looked up at Ino determinedly. "I'm going to get Sasuke to love me." She ruffled her hair. "Mou, but he's been so confusing lately..."

Ino frowned. "Confusing?"

"Ah," the pink haired kunoichi responded, "He kissed me...and doesn't remember it, but..." She let her fingers rise to her mouth and she turned a deeper shade of red. "I cut myself on purpose last night to lick away the blood in front of him, demo..."

"Demo?"

Sakura shut her eyes tightly. "He did it instead."

Ino blinked. "That's a come on if I've ever seen one."

"Come off it Ino," Sakura laughed, dismissing Ino's statement. "He hasn't reacted to anything I've done so far."

"Maybe Kurenai's tips are working more than he's letting on."

Sakura shook her head. "No way. There is no way that..."

Sakura stopped herself. It made sense. He _had _kissed her, even if he didn't remember it. And he _did _lick the blood off of her fingers. She blushed. Could she really hope? Could she really believe that her attempts were working?

"You really think so?" Sakura asked, leaning back into her chair.

"Hell yeah," Ino said, clenching a fist in front of her friend's face determinedly. "Want to test it out?"

Sakura bit her lower lip. She smiled. "Ino, if you're saying what I think you're saying—"

"Oho," Ino laughed maliciously, "I am saying _exactly _what you think I'm saying."

"Ino," Sakura pleaded, "I can't."

"Yes, you can," Ino shot back, pointing one finger at Sakura. "Have some courage. Puff out that rack. You've got this."

"No, I really don't."

Ino scowled at Sakura. "Come on. There's only one way to prove that he wants you, and you _know _this is it. Once you know you've got him," she grinned, "he won't know what's hit him."

Sakura nodded slowly. She could do this. She could be classy while seducing the Uchiha. She could do what Tsunade, Kurenai and Ino were all suggesting. She could. Sakura swallowed nervously.

"You've got this, Sakura," Ino told her.

"I know, Ino-pig," Sakura said, the confidence inside of her building. "I'll get Uchiha Sasuke to say he loves me." Her eyes darkened. "No matter what."

* * *

"Naruto," Hinata said worriedly, watching him poke at the ramen she had brought him from Ichiraku Ramen. "You haven't eaten since you spoke with Gaara-sama yesterday."

Naruto, in turn, just stared at the steaming ramen. His eyes, tired from lack of sleep, were very unfamiliar to his wife in that moment. She had never seen him look so defeated. She sat on the desk, watching as he sighed. Suddenly, he looked up at her.

He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Gomen, Hinata...what were you saying?"

Hinata couldn't take it anymore. She slid over the desk and took his face in her hands. He blinked at her.

"You need to confide in me," Hinata pleaded, "Doushita no?"

Naruto averted his gaze and placed his hands over hers. He pulled her trembling fingers away. He couldn't tell her. He couldn't tell her, or else she'd be ashamed of him. Or else she wouldn't be able to look at him the same way ever again. He could barely stomach it himself.

"I can't, Hinata," Naruto murmured. "Otherwise you'll be thrown in the mess too."

Hinata stared at her husband. "I married you because I love you." She grabbed his hands and kissed the tops of his knuckles. "Because I want to share your burdens and carry your loads."

Naruto still would not look at her. Hinata's forehead creased with wrinkles of frustration. She had worked so hard to make him notice her. He couldn't ignore her now. He couldn't turn away from her after everything they had been through.

"Naruto," Hinata said softly. "Look at me."

He closed his eyes. He opened his mouth to tell her to leave, but her lips crashed into his. Their teeth knocked together, but it didn't matter to Hinata. She let her mouth slide over his like the first time they kissed. He needed to remember. He needed to remember that she was by his side. That she had _always _been by his side.

Naruto, shocked at his wife's forwardness, found himself responding to her touch. He wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her into his lap. The more he responded, the more Hinata gave. She needed him to realize that no matter what, she wasn't leaving.

"Aishiteru," Hinata whispered as she pulled away, her lips swollen from his kisses.

"Hinata—"

Her mouth was back on his in a heart beat. She released him just as suddenly. "Aishiteru."

Naruto, now looking her in the eyes, smiled. "Arigatou, Hinata." He sighed and rubbed her smooth legs up and down. "Gaara knows about Sakura's issue." Hinata watched her husband carefully. "He asked me what I'd do if Sakura can't get Sasuke to love her."

Hinata tilted her head. "What did you say?"

Naruto laughed. "I said I'd order her to get the hell out of Konoha." He looked up at Hinata, prepared for his wife to reprimand him for betraying the village. "I can't make her marry someone that doesn't love her. That won't tell her his feelings."

Hinata smiled. "Naruto, even if you were forced to give the order, I would make it so you didn't have to carry it out." She kissed his whiskered cheek. "People are not just things we can use to make Konoha stronger. Konoha will be strong by the true emotions our people feel." She laid a kiss on his forehead. "And by their kinda and loving Hokage who does the right thing, even if others may think he's wrong."

Naruto felt her kiss his other cheek. "And the Hokage's wife..." Hinata pulled away. "Does she think he's wrong?"

Hinata blushed. "The Hokage's wife stands by him, Naruto." She kissed the tip of his nose shyly. "Through life and through death."

Naruto grinned. "Ah. Then the Hokage is one lucky bastard."

"The Hokage's _wife _is one lucky woman." Hinata paused. "What was Gaara's reaction?"

"He said it was impractical," Naruto snorted. "And he was right. I can't openly give her that order."

Hinata nodded. "Then we'll do it in secret."

"We'll smuggle her out of Konoha," Naruto confirmed, "And Gaara will take her from there."

"But what will people say?" Hinata asked, her brow furrowing. "We can't have her in Konoha one day and the next be gone. She'll be seen as a traitor."

Naruto bit the inside of his cheek. He realized he was asking a lot from Gaara, but they were old friends. If Temari had been in Sakura's position, Naruto would make sure he did everything to make sure she was safe and sound. Even if that meant...

"Gaara knows what he has to do," Naruto said slowly. "And for this, I'll be eternally grateful." Naruto sighed and rubbed his neck. "I just have to talk to Sakura about it later.

Hinata narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "Naruto...what did you ask of him?"

* * *

"Okay, so," Sakura said slowly, looking at the seduction books she had flopped open on her desk, "If I position my legs like this," she pointed her toes and bent them slightly, "It'll make them look longer?"

"Hai, hai!" Ino said excitedly, jumping up and down. "And puff out your chest a little more."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. She watched her best friend's large boobs bounce up and down with envy. She glanced down at her own, average sized ones. While she had grown a beautiful chest throughout the years, they were still smaller compared to Ino's.

"Like _this_," Ino corrected her, poking Sakura's bare back with a single finger. "That's better."

"Ino," Sakura said slowly, looking down at the pictures in the books. "While I'm glad you're boyfriend has access to these random books I would have never thought to look for..." She looked back up at the blonde kunoichi. "And while I appreciate your help..." Sakura eyed Ino's jiggling breasts. "...I have to ask...why are we stripped down in nothing more than our underwear?"

And indeed, the two kunoichi were wearing nothing more than bras and lacy underwear. After Ino had encouraged Sakura to build up courage, the blonde had left immediately, saying she had work to do. Sakura thought nothing of it at the time and went back to the paperwork piling up on her desk. What Sakura hadn't expected was for Ino to come back, hands full of books Sai had apparently gotten to improve their sex life early on in their relationship, and insisting that she strip.

"Because," Ino growled. "How are you supposed to be comfortable naked with a man when you can't even be comfortable naked in front of another girl?"

Sakura had to hand it to her. Sakura had always been a little uneasy showing off her body, even in hot springs. She normally made sure her breasts were covered up with a towel and even when changing, she'd securely wrap a robe around her body.

"I'm not self conscious," Sakura insisted. "I tried changing in front of Sasuke, but he wasn't even awake for it..."

"And if he had been awake for it?" Ino asked, raising her eyebrows and folding her arms. "Would you have been able to go through with it?"

Sakura didn't reply. She let her fingers wrap tightly around the desk's corner. If Uchiha Sasuke had been awake...

Sakura blushed. "You're right." She shook her head. "I wouldn't have."

"Of course I'm right," Ino laughed. "Now cross your legs, but keep your toes pointed." She watched Sakura do as she asked. "Not too much pointing...you don't want to look like you're trying too hard."

Sakura sighed and shook her head. She stood up. "Ino, this is ridiculous, do you really think he's going to care if I point my toes a certain way or have my back a certain angle?"

Ino stared at her. "Uchiha Sasuke has the best sight in Konoha. Those red eyes of his see _everything_." She raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to seduce him or not?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and got back on the desk. "Hai, hai, sensei..."

"Pout your lips a bit," Ino continued, "Like you want a kiss."

Sakura did as she asked. Ino grimaced.

"I said like you want a kiss," she said, "Not like a puff fish." Sakura growled. "Okay, okay. Say Sasuke's name really slowly." She frowned. "And don't forget to add the suffix. For some reason, it really turns guys on in bed."

Sakura nodded. "Sa...su...ke...kun...?"

Ino shook her head. "No, no. Say it with more feeling. Like you really want his cock inside of you."

Sakura sputtered. "I-Ino!"

Ino rolled her eyes. "Sakura, you've gotta do it."

Sakura sighed and positioned herself on the desk. She looked straight at Ino and gently placed her index finger to the corner of her lips.

"_Sa...su...ke...kun_," Sakura moaned.

"Perfect!" Ino exclaimed. "Okay, now bend over."

Sakura stared at Ino. "What the hell?"

The blonde kunoichi rolled her eyes and grabbed Sakura's hand. "Just bend over."

Sakura turned toward the desk and did as Ino asked. "Like this?"

"Your butt's not perky enough," Ino observed.

"Ch, Ino-pig!" Sakura growled, arching her back a little.

"That's better," Ino said with a nod. "Now, men really like it when they walk into a room and the first thing they see is a nice ass."

"Ino, I can't believe you're making me do this—"

"This is nothing compared to the time you helped me prepare for Sai," Ino reminded her. "You remember that, right?"

Sakura moaned. How could she forget? It was the first time she ever learned how to properly shave her vagina. It was also the first time she ever took a mirror down there. Ino explained that the only way they would ever know how to pleasure a man is if they knew how to pleasure themselves first. That meant learning all about the vagina and knowing how to properly take care of it. Apparently Ino had been right, because Sai clearly had no complaints about their sex life.

"Hai, hai," Sakura sighed.

"Speaking of which," Ino said slowly. "When's the last time you shaved?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Last night, thank you very much."

"Good," Ino sighed. "I was scared you'd make Sasuke go through the forest to get at your treasure."

"Ino!"

"Nani?" Ino asked with a shrug. "I'm just concerned for your well-being."

"Mou, _Ino..._"

"Alright," Ino said, "Now time for the kicker. I need you to spread your legs wide open for me."

Sakura stared at her closest friend. They had done a lot of wacky things together, this was true. And yes, they had been in front of each other in their underwear time and time again. But this? This was ridiculous.

"No way," Sakura said, folding her arms and stubbornly looking away. "I'm drawing the line."

"Come on," Ino said. "I'll do it for you."

A knock came at her door.

"Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's eyes widened.

"Naruto," Sai's voice came from outside, "Ino asked me to not let anyone inside."

"Ino," Sakura pleaded, "Don't you dare—!"

"Eh? No way. Now move aside. It's an order from the Hokage."

In a split second, Ino was bent over with her legs spread wide apart. "How's it look? Do you think Sai would want to fuck my ass?"

It was at that moment that Sakura's locked door burst open and for the second time in two weeks, Naruto had bust down Sakura's door just to see something he really shouldn't have.

"_**SHANNARO!**_"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke had no idea what was going on between Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and Sai. All he did know is that when he stepped into Ichiraku Ramen, there was the dobe with two black eyes. Sasuke walked in and sat down beside Sakura. He raised his hand for some ramen.

"Traitor," Sai said cheerfully, "How are you?"

"Hn." He looked at Naruto again and noticed his nose was bleeding. "What happened to him?"

"Oh," Sai said, "He walked in on Ino and Sakura—"

Sakura slammed her bowl of ramen down and shot a glare at Sai. "Tell him, and I'll kill you." She glanced down at the bleeding Hokage. "You're forgiven."

And with that she walked straight out of the shop without a second glance. Sasuke, however, was a little irritated. He hadn't seen Sakura all day and he had came to Ichiraku Ramen because he had heard that's where two of the legendary Sannin were.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme," Naruto said warily. "Could you give Sakura a message for me?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Tell her Gaara wants to meet her for lunch tomorrow."

Sasuke smacked Naruto upside the head and threw money down on the counter. "Tell her yourself." He stood up abruptly and walked out of Ichiraku Ramen. "Feel free to eat my portion."

He swiftly walked down the street, watching the pink haired kunoichi from afar. He had a plan, damn it, and she needed to be around for it to work. Soon enough, he was stepping side by side with her. She glanced up at him.

"You checked out of the hospital early," Sakura said.

"Ah," Sasuke said, "I had things I needed to do."

"Try not to work so much," Sakura continued casually. "Take it easy for the next few days." She glared at him. "No training with Naruto."

Sasuke looked at her. Did she think he was an idiot? He merely went to work that day to make sure everything was running smoothly. He had a newly recovered Chōji do most of his paperwork.

Sakura sighed and glanced at him in the corner of her eye. Did he seriously not remember the kiss he gave her? She clenched her jaw.

"Ne, Sasuke," Sakura said softly, her feet kicking up dirt as they walked. "Do you...really not remember anything after I healed most of your wounds?"

Sasuke stopped walking. They were nearing the Uchiha grounds. Sakura turned to face him. Her eyes were filled with curiosity and pain. Sasuke's brow furrowed.

"I don't," he admitted. "Was it something important?"

Sakura let out a laugh. "Maybe not to you."

Sasuke clenched his jaw. So it _was_ something important. He took a step forward so her nose was pointed at his chest. He needed to know what it was.

"What happened, Sakura?" he asked. "What was it?"

Sakura stared up into his cold, black eyes. Her gaze softened. She slowly raised her hand to his cheek and stroked it. She wanted him to remember. She wanted him to remember _so _badly.

She swallowed. Kurenai was right. She could either pretend it never happened or _do _something about it. The old, wimpy Haruno Sakura would have pouted and hinted at it. She would have complained until Sasuke's ears bled from hearing his name being called so much. But this Sakura...this bold and daring Sakura had trained hard both physically and mentally for years. She was a warrior inside and out. A queen, if you will.

Sakura knew she needed to make sure their relationship progressed. She needed to find out if that kiss was just by accident or if he really meant it. If it was by accident, then she had two months to put her escape plan into action. If it wasn't...If it wasn't by accident, then she would plunge Sasuke so deep in her love, he would _drown _in it.

So this queen of fist stood up on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

_Th-Thump._

She pulled away to see the realization flicker across his face. He remembered, all right. He remembered what he did right before he passed out. Sakura then let her tongue trail along the outside of his ear until her mouth was positioned by his lobe.

"You kissed me," she whispered, hoping he wouldn't notice her trembling fingers.

He noticed.

He hoped she wouldn't notice the blush creeping on his face. One kiss had him blushing like crazy. Sasuke was a little irritated by the amount of control Sakura had over him.

So much for his plan to seduce her. She was _way _ahead of him. That damn little seductress. But he didn't care too much at that moment. Not when she was giving him permission to touch her. He let his arms fall around her waist as he tugged her closer to him.

Her hands were placed gently on his chiseled chest. She felt the thumping of his heart. her eyes widened.

_Th-Thump._

It was so fast.

Sasuke turned his face so he could properly gain access to her welcoming lips. The warmth spread from his mouth down to his toes. He smirked as he kissed her, feeling her sigh vibrate through him. He wanted more. He wanted more of _her_.

Before he could stealthily slip his tongue inside, she pulled away, her face red as the tomatoes he loved so dearly. She let her hand cover her mouth, trying to hide the pink tint of her cheeks with the tips of her fingers.

"Come," she murmured softly, backing away. "Let's go home."

As they walked, both refusing to look at the other for fear of embarrassment, Sasuke let his fingers bump into hers a few times, before he let them entwine together. He grinned. Maybe Kakashi was right. Maybe the basics weren't so bad after all.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: If you have time to write a flame, you have time to write a story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**********Byakugō no In: White Strength Seal**

**********Doushita no?: What's wrong?**

**********Urusai: Shut up**

Haruno Sakura had always been used to being compared to flowers. Her name was, after all, Haruno Sakura. It screamed for people to compare her with the beautiful bud. But that morning, Sakura felt like she was a butterfly. A beautiful butterfly wrapped in a cocoon of warmth. This butterfly though, wasn't tempted to leave her oval of safety just yet. Rather, she tucked her wings closer around her and huddled up against the source of her heat.

Jade orbs opened gradually and focused slowly on the surroundings. Sakura vaguely took note of a cream colored pillow in front of her. She snuggled closer to it as she allowed herself a leisurely stretch. Then she yawned, and gave a little yip as she closed her mouth. She turned her head, rubbed her cheek happily against the pillow and sighed. Haruno Sakura made a little purr of happiness.

And froze when she heard a deep man's hum of a response.

Oh.

Sakura shot her eyes wide open and looked at a wide awake Sasuke.

Oh _right_.

Almost immediately, she felt the blood rush to her face. Holding hands with Sasuke, _kissing _Sasuke...

Sasuke.

Crap.

Sakura swallowed, refusing to look at his onyx eyes as she cautiously looked down. She let out a sigh of relief. She was still fully clothed. Then, she slowly creaked her head up to peer at the groggy Uchiha.

Jade eyes met tired onyx ones.

Right. That's why her pillow was so warm.

It slowly dawned on Sakura that Sasuke's legs and her legs were intimately entwined together. His hand was on her hip, pulling her closer to him as he tried to fall back asleep. Sakura wanted to scream. Didn't he realize they were cuddling? How could he even _think _of sleep when their lips were so close?

"Sakura," Sasuke mumbled, closing his eyes, "Stop squirming so much..."

But she just couldn't! Sakura tried. She _really_ tried. But she couldn't stop _trembling_. He was so close! It had been her fantasy for ages to have him cuddle her like he was now and her body just couldn't contain her emotions. They were like a bomb waiting to go off.

Sasuke cracked open an eye. "...having a nightmare?"

Sakura felt his hand lift from her hip and touch her face. His lips pressed to her forehead, right on her byakugō no in. The area was set on fire immediately and Sakura felt the sudden urge to dump water on her head.

"Sakura?"

Right. Sasuke asked her a question.

"No, no," she replied shakily, still quaking down to her toes.

"Doushita no?" Sasuke pulled away, raising his eyebrows.

"I-I just," Sakura stammered, her fingers covering her mouth. "Y-You're..."

"Hn?" Sasuke hummed, laying his head down next to hers on her pillow.

"A-Ano..."

Sasuke sighed. He flexed his arm underneath her a little. It had fallen asleep. Still though, the Uchiha was feeling extremely indulgent and relaxed. This was exactly how he wanted the day to start. Sakura was curled up in his arms, he had kissed her twice, and he no longer had that irritating inability to kiss her.

To prove it to himself, he swept her mouth with his, pulling away and licking over his bottom lip. He smirked. That cowardice was cured.

The smirk was wiped off his face as she shook harder in his arms. His brow furrowed.

"Sakura," he said, his concern growing. "What is it?"

"Th-This," Sakura said, blushing. "It's not..."

She felt stupid. She started pulling the covers up to hide her face, but Sasuke stopped the purple sheets half way.

"What is it?" Sasuke pressed, tugging the sheets out of her fingers.

"It's not...a dream is it?" Sakura asked, her voice muffled by her hand.

He watched as her cheeks flushed and her gaze met his. Overwhelmed with emotion, she stared up at him. Shocked, he pulled back slightly, but only for a moment. The next, he was pressing her against the bed, fascinated with the look on her face. He wanted more of it.

"Don't hide," Sasuke murmured as she tried once more to pull the sheets over her head.

He ducked under before she could fully cover herself, so they were both under the blankets together. Even with the dim light from the rising sun, Sasuke could clearly see her rosy lips begging to be taken. Slightly parted and panting, Sasuke covered them with his own. He tasted her, running his tongue along hers in a battle of dominance.

Of course he would win—

He drew back. Blood dripped from his lip and he growled. What the hell? She bit him?

From under the sheets, Sakura flung herself at him. It wasn't ill received like it had been back in their genin days. He warmly welcomed her as she tackled him to the bed. She cheekily grinned above him. Apparently she wanted to be in control.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. She overcame her doubts quick. She lowered herself over him and allowed him to enter her once more. He took her lips willingly, only slightly wary of getting bitten again.

Haruno Sakura wasn't one to be dominated so easily. While yes, she had been shaking from joy just moments before, the moment Sasuke slid his tongue in her mouth, the spell had broken and her body, _dying _to have him, acted automatically. She held his hands above his head, letting her lips engulf his.

She had waited her whole life for this. She wasn't going to let him go so easily.

"Sakura-chan?" a voice called from outside.

Before Sakura or Sasuke could react, Naruto had opened the double doors excitedly and burst into the room.

"Sakura-chan, you've gotta get ready!" he shouted, the doors slamming against the walls as they broke off the hingest. "Gaara wants to meet you for lunch and—"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"_Naruto_," Sakura and Sasuke hissed angrily.

"Th-This isn't as bad as yesterday with Ino," Naruto laughed awkwardly. "At least this time you're not naked—"

"_What?_" Sasuke snarled as Sakura pressed her fist into her palm. "You saw her _naked?_"

Naruto sweat dropped.

He really needed to learn how to knock and then _wait _for an answer.

* * *

"And they were _all _over each other," Naruto snickered, holding ice over his black eye as he talked to Konohamaru and Sai.

"Urusai, dobe," Sasuke snapped, sitting under a tree in the shade. "Hurry up with chibi-dobe's training."

"Don't call me chibi-dobe!" Konohamaru growled, raising a fist and shaking it at Sasuke. "It's not my fault you can't even fuck Haruno Sakura right!"

"Oh my," Sai said to Naruto as he leaned against the tree Sasuke was sitting under. "So you didn't see if Sasuke has a penis."

"Oh, he has one, all right," Naruto assured him. "It's like _this,_" he straightened out his fingers and pulled his hands away to measure it out, "big!" He waved his arms around wildly. "It's _huge!_"

Sai paused. "There are a few things I can say to that." He held up one finger. "First, compared to your penis, anything is big." He held up a second finger. "Second, why were you looking at Sasuke's penis in the first place?" He held up a third finger. "And third, why am I even asking the second question? It's obvious he uses it to perform anal coitus with you."

Sai wound up with both Sasuke's and Naruto's fists in his face.

"Ch, baka," Sasuke grumbled sitting back down against the tree. "Hayaku. Get this training session over with."

"Why?" Naruto asked, readying himself to fight. "It's not like you're meeting Sakura for lunch." Sasuke's eye twitched. "Gaara's already got it covered."

Konohamaru took a swing at the Hokage, but narrowly missed. Naruto, in turn, grabbed his fist and pulled it back toward his shoulder. He swept kicked Konohamaru's feet out from under him, letting the younger shinobi land on his back.

"Oh yes," Sai said rubbing his face as he walked over to sit beside Sasuke. "Did you ever find out if Gaara asked Sakura out?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"He didn't confess," Naruto confirmed, leaping over Konohamaru and elbowing him in the back. "He was just asking her for a favor."

Sasuke let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"But he looked pretty serious about her yesterday," Naruto added truthfully, "Whatever he's gonna talk to her about today seems pretty intimate."

Sasuke tensed.

"I believe the emotion you are experiencing is 'jealousy'," Sai informed Sasuke. "I have never felt it before, so I do wonder what it's like. Tell me, are you experiencing a throb in your chest?" Sai leaned forward. "Perhaps a hot flash? I'm told those are common—"

"Shut it," Sasuke snapped.

"Mood swings are also a symptom," Sai said, nodding his head.

Sasuke sighed and laid on his back. The sun peaked out from behind the leaves, shimmering like diamonds. Sasuke lifted the back of his hand to his eyes to keep out the light. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the grass around him. It wasn't as good as Sakura's scent, but it did the trick in calming him down.

He had to admit, Sakura meeting with Gaara was a little unsettling. He felt a little at ease knowing that Gaara had not professed his love for Sakura the previous day. While that would have been entirely out of character for the Kazekage, he _did _ask Sakura to join him for lunch. He couldn't assume that Gaara wouldn't do something. He couldn't assume that his place in Sakura's heart was secure. But it was interesting, to say the least. Sasuke hadn't been aware of Gaara's interest in the pink haired kunoichi.

"I wonder if he's going to whisk her away to Sunagakure with him," Sai pressed. "It's not exactly a bad idea. If a union were to occur between them, it would just improve our peace treaty."

Sasuke tried not to grimace. "Sai."

"Ah, Sasuke?"

"Urusai."

"He seems to be in a bad mood this morning," a male voice said.

Sasuke didn't have to peek out behind his hand. "Yo, Kakashi."

"What's this I hear about you and Sakura getting it on this morning?" the white haired ninja asked, sitting in a branch above the tree Sasuke was laying underneath.

"They were all over each other, Kaka-sensei!" Naruto called from his spar with Konohamaru.

"Oh my," Kakashi said lightly.

Sasuke didn't feel the need to defend himself. He turned on his side and let his head fall on the soft ground. Let the whole village misunderstand. He didn't care. In fact, he would secretly encourage it. Then that damn Kazekage would realize who Sakura belonged with.

"What's wrong with him?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head down toward at Sasuke. "For having nailed Sakura, I'd say he's in a pretty bad mood."

"Oh, no, they did not perform coitus," Sai corrected him. "He seems to be experiencing feelings of jealousy this morning."

Kakashi grinned behind his mask. "Jealousy?"

"Ah," Konohamaru called from across the field. "He didn't bang Sakura and now she's gonna go have lunch with another guy. Kind of sucks, doesn't it?"

Kakashi stared at the still Uchiha in wonderment. So his old students _weren't _having sex? He jumped down from the tree and plopped down in between Sai and Sasuke. Even with the Uchiha's back toward him, he knew he was listening.

"See, Sasuke?" Kakashi chuckled. "The basics aren't so bad."

"Ch."

Sasuke shifted, but kept his back to Kakashi. God damn old man...

He had to hand it to him though. Kakashi was right. He couldn't just have sex with Sakura to get it over. She was going to be the mother of his children. He needed to treat her with care and tenderness.

Sasuke smirked.

So until they decided to have sex, he'd just have a little fun tormenting her. He hadn't forgotten what Kiba had told him. He still planned on using _that_ to his full advantage.

Sasuke was basking in his own cockiness right up until Kakashi let a roll of condoms fall in front of his eyes. Sasuke stared at them, dangling in front of his eyes. He turned sharply to glare at a smiling Sai and a determined Kakashi.

"I think it's time I gave you the same talk I had with Naruto and Sai when they first started dating..."

* * *

Haruno Sakura sat at the table next to Gaara. She took a sip of her miso soup and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Shikamaru and Temari have kindly allowed us their house for the afternoon," Gaara said. "And Kankurō is currently preoccupied with entertaining some of the Konoha children."

Sakura sweat dropped. Yes, she had passed the puppet master on her way over to Shikamaru's house. He didn't seem to be so thrilled with the kids as they kept trying to yank on his puppets. It appeared that he would be busy for quite some time.

"So please," Gaara said kindly. "Speak freely."

Sakura's sweat drop deepened. He thought she wasn't talking because she was scared there were other people in the house? No. She wasn't speaking because she had no idea what to say to the Kazekage. How does one have idle chit-chat with Gaara? Can you even do that? How does that even work?

"A-Ano," Sakura started out, feeling heat rush to her cheeks, "H-How are you enjoying your stay in Konoha?"

There. That seemed like a good conversation starter.

"Quite nicely," Gaara said, taking a bite of his tofu. "Arigatou."

Sakura waited for him to continue.

"..."

Nope. Nothing. She bit her lower lip. This was worse than when she and Sasuke were genin. At least Sasuke had facial expressions back then, Gaara...

She glanced at the Kazekage.

Gaara wasn't emitting _any _emotion. Not even _boredom._

"How is your hospital work?"

Ah. Yes. Something Sakura could go on for _hours _about.

"Well, I haven't been able to go in today," Sakura started, "But the food poisoning epidemic seems to have been solved. It seemed that there was some bad chicken at the festival. You wouldn't believe how many times I had to help clean up the halls because of our patients were projectile vomiting everywhere..."

Sakura stopped when she saw the look of disgust on Gaara's face. She looked down at her plate. Right. They were eating.

At least it was an emotion...?

"Ah, heh," Sakura said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "Gomen. I'm just..." She swallowed nervously and stirred her soup. "I'm surprised you wanted to have lunch with me."

Gaara stared at her. "I would like to get to know you better."

Sakura smiled. "Because I'm close to Naruto?"

She knew Gaara and Naruto had a bond that she couldn't begin to comprehend. She at least knew the outer layer of it: which was that Gaara admired Naruto and really wanted to be close to him. That meant, of course, getting to know the people close to him.

"Ah, no," Gaara said softly, averting his gaze away from hers. "While I must admit, my initial contact with you was due to Naruto, my conversation with him yesterday caught my interest."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. What had Naruto said to Gaara about her?

"Naruto talked about me?"

"...about your dilemma," Gaara started off slowly.

Sakura bit her lower lip. Great. So Gaara invited her over for a damn _pity _party. She couldn't help but feel hurt.

"Gaara, while I appreciate your sympathy," Sakura said slowly, rising from her chair. Gaara, out of respect, did the same, watching her with wide eyes the entire time. "I don't need you to look down on me."

Gaara didn't say anything. He folded his arms and watched Sakura's sad eyes. He was familiar with them. They were the same ones he had looked in when she was just a chūnin.

"Sakura," Gaara said quietly.

His voice stopped her in her tracks. She looked at him.

"Would you walk with me?" he asked gently.

Sakura was hesitant. She was really curious as to his thoughts on the matter, but she didn't want him to look at her like he did others. She didn't want him to feel her sadness.

"Ah," Sakura said with a nod. "I'll go."

So they left their meals on the table and slid open the back door, to set their eyes on the Nara garden. Sakura walked slightly behind Gaara since she wasn't very familiar with it. Gaara eyed the bench in the middle, and motioned for them to sit. So they did. The pair sat side by side.

"My sympathy is not with you," Gaara started off. "While yes, you carry a very heavy burden, my main concern is for Naruto."

Sakura raised her eyes to look at him. "Naruto?"

"I asked him what he will do if the Uchiha does not love you by the end of the three months," Gaara said.

Sakura lowered her gaze. While the past day had been amazing with Sasuke, she was still realistic. She still needed him to love her. He could just be trying to soften her up before asking her to rebuild his clan again. She needed proof. She needed evidence of his love for her before she could enter such a commitment with him.

"And?" Sakura asked quietly. "What did he say?"

"I think you know," Gaara answered.

A sad smile appeared on her lips. "He's not going to give the order."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "You knew this already."

Sakura chuckled. "Naruto is too kind-hearted for his own good. If he doesn't give me the order to rebuild the clan, then he'll be seen as a traitor to Konoha."

The wind picked up, ruffling Sakura's hair slightly. A flower petal from one of the Nara clan's many roses flew against her lips. She blinked and laughed, pulling the rose away from her lips and holding out her palm. It blew away before the wind died down.

Gaara, who had never heard her genuine laughter, peered at her. It was a rather...delightful noise. One he wanted to hear from her more often.

"But if I leave Konoha, then I'll be seen as a traitor," Sakura continued, oblivious to the Kazekage's stare. "So that leaves only one option—"

She stopped talking when she realized Gaara's hand was pressed against her cheek. His eyes were not on hers, but rather on her head.

"Don't move," he said softly.

Sakura felt her cheeks heat up as Gaara leaned forward.

"Here," the redhead said, pulling the petal away from her hair.

"A-Arigatou," Sakura stammered.

"Ah," Gaara replied. He lowered his hand away from her face and let it fall to his lap. "So, since Naruto refuses to give the order, we must figure out another way."

Sakura blinked. _We?_

"Naruto cannot know about it until it is too late," Gaara said thoughtfully. "So for now, let me take care of some arrangements in Sunagakure for you."

"Y-You're going to help me?" Sakura sputtered in surprised.

Gaara looked at her, amused. "You promised to look after Temari while asking for nothing in return. Now I will look after you."

Sakura let her hand cover her trembling lips. The tears started to fall before Gaara had time to react. His gaze softened. Yes, Sakura's burden was heavy. So heavy that those silky shoulders of hers were wrought with distress. Gaara watched as her strong facade came crumbling down around her.

"Arigatou, Gaara-sama," Sakura found herself sobbing.

She was too happy to not have to shoulder it all on her own. The fear of a loveless marriage, of Naruto having to do something he was morally and personally against...Maybe, just maybe, she and Ino wouldn't have to go through with her plan. The relief shook her to the core.

Even though her burden was heavy, Gaara was determined to lift at least some of that heavy load off of her shoulders. His gaze turned cold. He would help her.

She felt Gaara's chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She hiccuped in shock. He let his hands rest around her waist. Her warm tears fell on his chest.

"Cry, Sakura," Gaara murmured.

And so she did.

* * *

"This mission is dangerous," Naruto said slowly, looking at team eight from his seat. "If anyone finds out the purpose of it, lives will be at stake."

Kiba and Hinata glanced at each other. It was clear from the look in the heiress' eyes that she had no idea what the mission was. Kiba gulped. It must have been a serious mission if not even the Hokage's wife knew why they had been summoned.

Kiba looked over to Shino, whose cool demeanor had not been affected by Naruto's words.

"Hokage-sama," Shino said, bowing before Naruto. "You have called for team eight."

Hinata blushed as she looked at her husband behind the desk.

"We can handle anything you throw at us," Kiba stated cockily, thrusting a thumb at his chest. "Ne, Akamaru?"

His rather large dog barked in response.

"You must retrieve something from a band of rogue ninja," Naruto said, "Kiba, your tracking skills are supberb but your inability to keep secrets is a little..." He glanced to his right at Shikamaru. "...troublesome."

"Ch," Kiba snarled as Akamaru growled, "That's funny coming from _you_."

"Shino," Naruto said, ignoring Kiba's remark and motioning for the bug master to step forward. "Explain your last mission to them."

"I was sent to retrieve the medical supplies being sent from Iwagakure to Konoha," Shino started. "I had successfully retrieved them and was on my way back, when a group of rogue ninja attacked me. I managed to escape, but had to leave the medical supplies in their hands. I left a few of my bugs on their persons so we can track them down."

Kiba grinned. "All right!" He looked to Akamaru. "Retrieval mission!"

"This needs to be done immediately," Naruto said. "And it needs to be done in secret." He shot Kiba a glance. "Kill the rogue ninja...just make sure it's not too bloody."

"Sakura knows about it, doesn't she?" Kiba asked curiously. "Why isn't she coming with us?"

Naruto closed his eyes. "...She has no idea." He grimaced. "And it needs to _stay _that way."

"Huh?" Kiba asked. "Doushite?"

"Kiba," Shikamaru said slowly, "If Sakura were to find out, the Hokage's life may be on the line."

"Thanks for the faith, Shikamaru," Naruto grumbled.

"You're kidding me," Kiba said, glancing down at the paper he was holding. "This mission is S ranked...only because _Sakura _might find out?"

"Seems that way," Shino muttered.

"N-Naruto..." Hinata sighed.

She shook her head. As much as she loved him, he could be positively ridiculous at times.

"Hey, it's a serious matter here," Naruto grumbled. "You leave tonight. Don't mention this to _anyone._" He shot a glare at Kiba. "That means you, big mouth."

"Yeah, yeah," Kiba said, cleaning out his ear with his pinkie.

"It should take you about a week to finish this mission," Naruto said. "Any longer and you report back immediately." He shot Hinata a look. "And if one hair on your head is out of place, I will _personally_ see to it that those rogue ninja are destroyed."

Hinata felt her cheeks blush further and she nodded. Sometimes her husband was too protective for his own good. "H-Hai, Hokage-sama."

Naruto nodded and leaned back in his chair. "Dismissed."

* * *

"Tadaima," Sakura called tiredly as she made her way into the Uchiha household.

She had spent the majority of the afternoon crying in Gaara's arms and apologizing to him at the same time. The first thing she felt sorry for was the fact that she was using him as a tissue. By the end of her sobbing session, his nice vest was covered in her snot. The second thing she apologized to him for was how _weak _she was behaving. Of course, Gaara replied that each level of pain was unique to each individual. He assured her that she wasn't weak and kindly asked her to stop crushing his rib cage mid-hug.

As she zipped off her shoes and placed them neatly next to Sasuke's, she inhaled a sweet scent. Broccoli? Sakura frowned. It was mixed with something...

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked as she entered the kitchen.

She looked down at Sasuke who was sitting at the table, his arms folded and his eyes on her. She looked at the beautiful arrangement of baked fish, muscle miso soup, tea and sauteed broccoli. Had he been waiting for her? The set in front of an empty chair gave her the answer. Sakura stared at Sasuke.

"Did you...did you make all of this?" Sakura asked, incredulously.

Sasuke didn't answer. He merely picked up his chopsticks and began eating. Sakura hurried to the table and looked at her plate. He had brought out the Uchiha plates...these ones, Sakura was familiar with. She had suspected that they had only been used on special occasions by his family. Sakura's brow furrowed.

"Sakura," Sasuke hummed as he slurped back the miso soup. "Eat."

Sakura shook her head and clasped her hands together. "Itadakimasu!"

She picked up her chopsticks and slowly picked at her food. "How...How was your day?"

"Ah," Sasuke said in between bites. "Good." He looked at her with jaded eyes. "Yours?"

Sakura blushed. Sasuke caught a glimpse of it before she turned her head away. "A-Ah...it was good."

Sasuke didn't press further. He knew she spent some time with Gaara that day. Perhaps the Kazekage had asked her for another favor. Or wished to talk about Temari's state of pregnancy.

"G-Gaara-sama seems to be doing well," Sakura said slowly. "We walked through the Nara garden together."

Sasuke covered his curiosity up and took a gulp of his tea. He watched Sakura carefully above the cup's rim.

"It gave me some ideas for the Uchiha garden," Sakura continued. "The roses were really pretty and I'd like to—"

Sakura stopped talking. Had she overstepped her boundaries? She peered at Sasuke who was waiting for her to continue. She bit her lower lip nervously.

"A-Ano," she stammered, "The roses were really pretty and I'd like to form the Uchiha clan emblem with red roses and white lilies." She paused to take a sip of tea. "I think it'd look nice in the garden."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow up. She was making plans for his family's garden? Normally, Sasuke wasn't open to the idea of someone changing his home. But she had already made the butsudan for his deceased relatives, and he had taken note of the little things she did to keep the house running. He nodded in agreement.

"Ah," Sasuke replied.

Sakura blinked. She hadn't expected Sasuke to agree so willingly. Then again, she hadn't expected him to kiss her like he had that morning.

"If you...need help," Sasuke said slowly, hiding his blush with the bowl of rice in his hand. "Ask."

Sakura smiled. "Hai." She swallowed down some of the baked fish. "Arigatou." Sakura took another bite. "Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"After dinner," Sakura said slowly, "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

She had asked him out on dates when they were genin. So Sakura had grown to rejection, but judging from the way he had behaved that morning, she suspected he wouldn't say no to her.

Sasuke smirked. "Ah."

They finished up their dinner in silence, the clanging of chopsticks against porcelain meeting their ears. Sakura washed the dishes, while Sasuke dried. They were such simple actions between the pair, but the gestures made Sakura glow inside. Even as they put on their shoes together and walked out the door, Sakura couldn't help but feel like this was a dream.

Sasuke let the backs of their hands hit a few times before entwining their fingers. He refused to look at her and was grateful for the red sunset. It hid his blush well. As the stars lit up the night sky, they walked down the empty streets of the Uchiha complex. They did not say a word to one another, basking in the silence of the night. The only sounds were the symphonies of crickets and the scuffing of their feet.

And under the moonlight, they exchanged simple kisses. He cupped her cheek and wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her closer. He wanted to explore the delicious taste of her mouth. Sasuke really didn't like sweet things, but he believed he had found an exception to that rule.

Sakura only had to stand on her toes slightly to reach his mouth. Her arms were tenderly wrapped around his torso and her palms rested on his shoulder blades. She couldn't get enough of his delectable, husky scent. He made her dizzy. He made her heart pound. Still...

Sakura smiled against Sasuke's mouth.

It was a very beautiful dream she never wanted to wake from.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Shimatta: Oh crap/my bad**

Uchiha Sasuke was beginning to love waking up in the morning. He used to hate it. It meant having to start another depressing, dreary day. Waking up alone without a family kind of did that to you after a while. So now that he had a certain pink haired kunoichi in his bed, he was finding the start of his days to be almost chipper.

Sasuke smirked against his pillow, his arms wrapped tightly around Sakura.

Chipper. A word he would_ never _use out loud.

The Uchiha pressed his lips to the back of her neck, eyes still closed. He let his tongue slide up her spine to gently wake her up. He heard her softly moan and he steadily made his way around her cheek to her lips. Those delectable lips of hers were just something he couldn't help but kiss. He had to admit, ever since Naruto and he accidentally kissed back in their school days, Sasuke had a bit of a complex with kissing. He supposed that might have contributed to his lack of ability in making the first move for so long.

But now he was confident. Now he could kiss her mouth to his heart's content. He felt her slide her tongue against his and he allowed her to. He raised an eyebrow. Well, _she _was being rather daring early in the morning. Sasuke maneuvered himself over her, letting his hands trail down her rather firm stomach and coming to a halt right above her hips.

Sasuke smirked against her mouth. He pressed down at her hips relishing the soft skin there. He heard her intake a quick breath. He let his fingers pull at her thick waist band before he slowly lowered his hand down her pants.

"Ah...Hinata..."

Sasuke's eyes, tomoe spinning wildly, shot wide open to meet Naruto's equally large eyes. They stared at each other.

"_**CHIDORI!**_"

In under thirty seconds, Sasuke was in the bathroom alternating between brushing his teeth as hard as he could and scrubbing his hands until they bled. A fried Naruto stood by the door, trying to explain himself.

"Sasuke-teme," Naruto started, the tips of his hair still burning, "I-It's just that Hinata's away on a mission, and you know how lonely I get when she's away. So I checked to make sure Sakura wasn't in bed with you before I snuck in and—" Naruto stared at Sasuke's lips. "S-Sasuke-teme..."

The pissed off Uchiha sent a deadly glare the Hokage's way.

"Y-Your mouth is bleeding..."

Sasuke spat in the sink, but kept his gaze on his stupid best friend. "_Good._"

Naruto sweat dropped. He _did_ think that their make out session was nasty and he _did_ feel bad that neither of them realized who they were kissing until Sasuke reached for his penis, but Sasuke really couldn't blame him. First of all, Sasuke had woken him up just like Hinata did when it was time for him to get ready for the day. And second of all, Naruto hadn't opened his eyes to look at Sasuke until the very end.

He shuddered. What he couldn't wrap his head around was that he actually got _hard _for Sasuke. He glanced down at his pants that were now limp. His dick would have issues getting up for the next few days. Which, he supposed, was a good thing since Hinata was away on mission.

"Ugh," Sasuke said disgustedly, using up every last bit of soap he could until the sink filled up with bubbles. "If Itachi slaughtering my clan wasn't enough to give me nightmares, I think _this _was..."

Naruto stared at Sasuke. Did he just crack a joke?

"Pfft," Naruto chuckled, holding his stomach. "I think Sakura's rubbing off on you." He watched as the suds poured over the edge of the counter. "Hey, you should be honored. You just touched the Hokage's dick."

Sasuke felt the sudden urge to vomit. He scrubbed harder.

"When did you get here?" Sasuke asked in irritation. "What time?"

"Eh?" Naruto asked, "About six...why?"

Sasuke looked to the clock above his mirror. It was now eight o'clock. He grimaced. That meant he had been cuddling with the dobe for nearly two hours. It also meant that Sakura had been gone since before then. He turned off the faucet and wiped his chapped hands. There was only one reason she would leave so early: there was an emergency at the hospital that needed her immediate attention.

Sasuke sighed and frowned. He walked past Naruto and made his way down the hall. The dobe's footsteps pattered off rhythm with his own. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Naruto didn't have to ask, but Sasuke was used to it already. Every time Naruto snuck in his bed, the two would bicker, Sasuke would beat the blonde up, and then proceed to make the both of them breakfast. Call it brotherly love, if you will.

He reached inside of his fridge while the baka sat at his table, impatiently folding his arms and waiting for his omelet to be made. Sasuke broke out the pan and flicked on the gas stove. He turned to look at Naruto.

"Hinata's on a mission," Sasuke said slowly, recalling Naruto's explanation.

"Hai," Naruto said, his stomach growling in complaint. "To get Sakura-chan's medical supplies back." He winked. "They left late last night so I got in a good love-making session from Hinata before they went."

Sasuke tried to squelch the image of his best friend and the Hyūga getting it on. He leaned forward, wanting to heave. He was thankful he hadn't eaten anything since his and Sakura's dinner the previous night.

"If you're lonely, sleep in one of the damn spare rooms, urasuratonkachi," Sasuke growled, letting the eggs fall into the now warm pan.

"You know, you always tell me that," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head. "But I never listen."

Sasuke sweat dropped. "Baka."

"Teme!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Despite the terror of their morning together, he had to hand it to Naruto. He knew how to make a house feel like a home.

* * *

"We kissed, Ino-pig!" Sakura gleefully said as blood squirted from her patient's stomach. "It was _so _special, I just can't even—" She held out her hand for another scalpel that wasn't so covered in blood. "—believe it, you know?"

"Sakura that's _great!_" Ino said nervously passing her the scalpel.

"I'm still gonna seduce him of course," Sakura said as she dug further into the pregnant woman. "It's not over until he says he loves me."

"It's not over 'til you have a _ring _on your finger," Ino added. She stopped for a moment. "Does this mean we get to go on double dates?"

Sakura and Ino stared at each other for a moment.

"_No_," they both said in unison before giggling.

The thought of Sai and Sasuke being forced to go on a double date was a terrible idea. Between Sai's comments about how incompetent Sasuke's penis was and Sasuke's silent treatment, the evening would bring about disaster. There was no way those two would get along even for the sake of their lovers.

"Hmm," Ino said, "Then how about a group date? That way it wouldn't be so awkward."

"I like that," Sakura replied. "Hinata and Naruto would be fun to have around." She tilted her head. "And I'm sure Temari's itching to get out of the Nara household."

"We haven't seen Tenten in a while," Ino added as the head medical ninja managed to pry a crying baby from all of the blood. "And Lee would probably love this idea."

"Congratulations," Sakura said, cheerfully, holding out the bloody child in front of the drugged up mother, "It's a boy!"

"Sh-Shimatta," Haruhi said, looking at the monitor nervously. "Her heart's giving out. She needs blood."

"I don't know if I can get Sasuke to come on a group date," Sakura said slowly, her smile fading as she handed the child away to Shizune to be cleaned up. "What if he's not serious about us?" She started pumping chakra into the woman's heart. "What if he's just playing me?"

Sakura shook her head. Sasuke wasn't that kind of a man and she needed to have faith in him. She pressed her palms firmly against the woman's chest. She could feel her fading. She needed someone to close the wound...

"Ino," Sakura said. "Sew her shut and then heal it. We need her body to focus on surviving."

"Hai!" Ino replied, doing as her superior asked.

But Sakura's wound couldn't be sewn shut as easily as the woman's. She was still hurting from Sasuke's betrayal. Even though the nightmares had disappeared, she felt unsettled. Things were not resolved with Sasuke, and they needed to be. She still had things she needed to talk with him about. Things they needed to work through...

She frowned as she felt the woman's heart slow. It wasn't steady. It was wavering.

"Ino, hurry it up," Sakura reprimanded her friend. "We're losing her."

"Mou, I'm trying!" Ino complained, going as quickly as she could without tearing more skin.

"Oxygen," Sakura snapped at Haruhi. "Give her oxygen."

The clamp went over the woman's mouth and Sakura tried talking to the woman. "Ne, Hikari-san, you have a beautiful baby boy you need to see grow up." Sakura's voice came out in huffs as she used up as much chakra to heal the woman as she could. "Don't give out on me now, okay? Keep it up."

She heard the flick of the monitor. Hikari's heart was becoming stronger.

"Come on," Sakura growled, her muscles convulsing as she moved her body, "**_SHANNARO!_**"

_B-Beep. B-Beep._

Sakura sighed as she felt the nurse Ayana swiped her sweaty forehead with a towel. Hikari was alive. And she would be fine.

Sakura shook her tired eyes and glanced up at Ino, who had finished up sewing the woman's stomach. "Let's go. Haruhi, Shizune...clean this up."

Ino raised her eyebrows, but followed Sakura to wash their hands clean of the blood and throw away their gloves. Ino glanced at Sakura's shaking hands. She always got like that after a close call. She took on anything that went wrong in the operation room and blamed herself if things didn't go well. They walked out side by side into the hallway. Sakura let out a deep exhale.

"Damn," she cursed once she knew they were alone in the empty hallway. She placed her hand to her forehead, "I thought I was gonna lose her."

"But you didn't," Ino said, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Such a close call," Sakura sighed, raising her head to the ceiling to blink back the tears.

"Hey, hey," Ino said, pulling her friend to her side. "Relax. Hikari-san is okay, the baby is healthy and we can come back later to check on her, okay? Everything's good now."

Sakura shook away her fears. She nodded slowly. "Okay. You're right."

"So how about we celebrate with some Ichiraku Ramen?" Ino said, shaking her friend a little to try and get her out of her rut.

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "Ino, it's three in the afternoon. And I have a shit ton of paperwork to blow through."

"So?" Ino asked, "Come on. I'm sure Naruto will be there with _Sasuke-kun_."

Sakura swatted her away and opened her mouth to protest when she heard her stomach growl. She blushed. Sakura _was _hungry. She placed her hands over her stomach tenderly.

"Fine," Sakura agreed reluctantly, "But only 'cause I haven't eaten yet today."

The possibility of seeing Uchiha Sasuke had no affect on her decision.

Or the sudden skip in her step as she walked down the hall.

* * *

"Gaara this is _ridiculous_," Temari said, looking down at the sand surrounding her torso like a ring of saturn. "The baby is _fine_."

Gaara raised his eyebrows at her. That was his niece or nephew inside of her. He wasn't going to take any chances. Who knew what dangers lurked at the market place? He shifted the weight of the groceries in his hands, ignoring the onlookers whispering. So what if he was overprotective when he was with Temari? Nothing was going to happen to that child on his watch. He was going to make sure of it.

"Gaara," Temari growled as the shopkeeper stared in disbelief at the protective barrier. "Stop it."

Gaara narrowed his eyes. Temari placed her hands on her hips. The protective barrier that had once been rotating around her retreated back into the gourd on his back. He turned on his heel and started walking over to the onions. If she wanted to be like that, then fine.

Temari sighed and shook her head. She glared at Kankurō who had been behind her the entire time. He also had his guard up and was ready to whip out his puppets to protect her at any time. She rolled her eyes. As much as she loved the men in her life, they were starting to drive her crazy.

"Kankurō put the kunai away before you hurt yourself," Temari snapped and stomping away from her two brothers.

What was _supposed _to be a casual afternoon of shopping turned into a protection mission. Why, the moment one of the villagers who had heard that she was pregnant came up to touch her stomach, Gaara and Kankurō were in front of her in a flash. Needless to say, no one had bothered to try since.

She scowled. This was too stupid. Those two idiots were ruining her day. And if _they _weren't protective enough, Shikamaru wouldn't let her leave the house without having someone escort her at all times. It was getting to be too much. She needed to talk to Sakura and make her convince them that the baby would be _fine _without all of that excess crap.

Temari's eyes widened. Speak of the devil. Temari raised her arm up in the air and started running toward the pink haired medical ninja, when a swirl of sand surrounded her, lifting her gently in the air and pulling her back. She glared at her redheaded brother.

"What the _hell _Gaara?" Temari snarled.

"Don't strain yourself," he reprimanded her.

"I wanted to see _Sakura_," Temari growled, pointing at her friend as she walked into Ichiraku Ramen with Yamanaka Ino. "You might know her. She's the head medical ninja of Konoha, remember?"

Gaara stared off, watching the head medical ninja of Konoha as she slipped past the fabric flags and into the ramen shop. He swallowed.

"Ah," he said slowly, the sand walls around Temari fading.

She let out an indignant huff and stomped her foot in irritation. The sooner she could convince the medical ninja to get them off her back, the better. So she paraded off to the ramen shop with Gaara and Kankurō in tow. The pregnant woman was clearly irritated.

She flung through the fabric flags and marched right over to Sakura.

"Sakura," she snarled, plopping down in the empty stool next to the pink haired kunoichi, "Tell these two idiots that I'm pregnant, not a fucking bomb about to explode."

Sakura, mid slurp in her ramen, coughed. She picked up a napkin and covered her mouth. She looked at the irritated blonde and opened her mouth to say hello.

"Gaara had me surrounded by sand for most of the day," Temari snapped, "And Kankurō is acting like he just swallowed ten lizards. It's pissing me the fuck off!"

She glanced to Gaara and Kankurō. They seemed rather irritated and on guard. Gaara especially. She slowly nodded her head. It must have been difficult having the Kazekage and his bodyguard so protective of her. Plus, having Konoha's tactician for a husband probably wasn't easy.

She had heard that Shikamaru refused to let her out of the house without an escort. Sakura nodded. She'd have to take that pineapple head aside and talk to him.

"Ah, well," Sakura laughed, as Ino stared at Gaara openly. "Are you stressed by their...actions?"

"_Hai_," Temari said exasperatedly.

Sakura gave the pair a stern look. "While the protection is a nice gesture, if you're stressing Temari out, you really shouldn't. Stress isn't good for the baby." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe instead of making her feel so claustrophobic, you should give her a massage or treat her to something nice." Sakura placed a hand on Temari's slumped shoulder. "How about a nice bowl of ramen? You all can eat with us."

"Sounds great," Temari said, slamming her palm down on the counter, "Yo! Teuchi! Three bowls of ramen for the Kazekage, his bodyguard and one pissed off pregnant lady!"

Ino's gaze was still on Gaara. She narrowed her eyes. She recognized that look. She knew when someone was into her best friend. It was the same amused look Sasuke had whenever he met up with Sakura. Ino tensed. It was her duty as a best friend to be aware of these things. Despite the denial from both Sakura and Naruto she had received that Gaara hadn't confessed, she knew he was interested.

"Ah," Gaara said as he sat next to Temari.

"Whatever," Kankurō grumbled, following his siblings.

"So?" Temari asked, excited to finally have them off her back. "How's Sasuke? Still asking you to rebuild your clan?"

Sakura laughed uneasily. "Ah, well..."

"They _kissed_," Ino said excitedly.

"_Ino!_" Sakura scolded.

She didn't want everyone talking about it.

"What?" Ino asked with a shrug, her palms facing upward as she did so. "The whole town's gonna know about it soon enough."

"Ugh, Ino-pig," Sakura teased.

"Things are going well with the Uchiha then?" Temari asked with a grin. "Good. About damn time too." She looked to Kankurō and Gaara. "That idiot's been pursuing her for a few weeks now. It's about damn time he did something right."

"Heh, getting it on with the traitor," Kankurō chuckled. "Nice, Sakura."

"M-Mou, Kankurō..." Sakura sweat dropped.

It was then she noticed that Gaara had a far off look on his face. She frowned. Leaning behind Temari, she reached for his face. Gaara turned just in time to watch as the pink haired kunoichi put her hand to his head. She frowned.

"Just checking to see if you have a fever," Sakura said, letting her hand fall back to her side. She noticed the light pink tint to his cheeks. "Just be careful, okay?"

Gaara swallowed. "Ah."

Sakura laughed. "Worrying about Temari is great and all, but make sure you take care of yourself, okay?"

_Th-Thump._

The Kazekage placed a hand over his heart. His eyes widened.

Oh.

Oh _no._

* * *

"Oh my goodness," the receptionist giggled over her desk quietly to a nurse. "Uchiha Sasuke-sama is _waiting _for Haruno Sakura-sama...Who would have thought?"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

"Do you think they're engaged yet?" the nurse whispered back.

He folded his arms.

"He _did_ ask her to rebuild his clan..."

Sasuke's eyes shot open. He glared at the two gossiping broads. They blushed and immediately went back to work.

Ch. Served them right...

Uchiha Sasuke had been waiting for Haruno Sakura in the lounge area for well over an hour. He had decided to come pick her up when she didn't come home at eleven. It wasn't like he was _worried _about her. He just didn't like the idea of going to sleep without her there. Sasuke had become accustomed to having her there and it would be an inconvenience if he didn't have his personal bed warmer at his side.

Sasuke heard a cough and scowled.

He wasn't mad that she was probably taking her sweet old time wrapping up one of her last operations. He knew she took her work very seriously as well she should. Without her aid, most of Konoha would probably die of disease and internal bleeding.

No, _he _was mad because he was stuck in the damn lounge area with a whole bunch of sick children and adults just hacking and sneezing everywhere. One child had been in the corner with a broken arm for the past half hour, _screaming _his head off at his mother to get a medic to heal him.

Sasuke glared. He was seriously rethinking having children at that moment. If he ever _did _manage to convince Sakura to bear his children, he sincerely hoped they would _never _be as rotten as that kid. He winced as the child's screaming reached new heights. Really though. Couldn't that woman get a _grip _on that child?

So finally, Sasuke decided to do something about it. He slowly stood and made his way over to the small child. The mother, who had seen him coming in the corner of her eye, blinked at him in surprise but backed away. She knew the chief of police when she saw him. He knelt down in front of the sniveling child and reached out to touch him.

The snot nosed kid gasped and looked into Uchiha Sasuke's eyes. A terrible, _terrible _mistake. The child was rendered unconscious immediately and Sasuke handed the now silent kid over to his mother.

"Here," he said, unceremoniously dropping the child into the mother's awaiting arms.

"Wh-What did you do?" the mother asked, looking at the kid nervously.

He didn't bother to answer her. But as he walked away, he couldn't help but feel proud of himself. He had handled a child without killing it. Instead, he sent it into a deep genjutsu filled with candy and lollipops. It was something he figured a brat would like. Sasuke smirked. He could be a good parent.

"Fuck, Sasuke," Kakashi cursed, walking up from behind the Uchiha. "Don't ever have kids." He gave him a pointed look. "I mean it."

Sasuke scowled. "Ch." He glanced back at the white haired ninja. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, I got lost on the path of life," Kakashi said thoughtfully as Sasuke sat back down in his seat, "And I somehow wound up here."

Sasuke stared at his former sensei. Kakashi sat next to him. "You came to hit on Shizune again, didn't you?"

Kakashi sweat dropped. "How'd you know?"

Sasuke bit back a growl of irritation. He wanted that damn sensei of his to just leave him alone. After their "talk" the previous day, Sasuke couldn't look at Kakashi the same way ever again.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked Sasuke. "Waiting for Sakura?"

"Hn."

Kakashi folded his arms and leaned back. "Apparently she spent the afternoon with Gaara, Ino, Temari, and Kankurō."

"Ah."

Sasuke took mental note. Sakura had met up with the Kazekage three days that week. He hadn't realized they were so close. His brow furrowed.

"Gaara...did not confess to Sakura," Sasuke started off. He shot a look at Kakashi. "So why am I uneasy?"

Kakashi nodded slowly. "Could just be jealousy." He slunk further in his seat. "Or you could be picking up on something." Kakashi scratched his chin. "My guess is you're picking up on something."

Sasuke frowned. He had hoped it was just jealousy. Jealous was petty. It was something he could talk to Sakura about and be done with it.

"You're not the type to have unreasonable emotions, Sasuke," Kakashi continued. "If you have a feeling, act on it."

"Ah."

Sasuke sighed impatiently and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was past midnight, he was tired and he was ready for Sakura to be finished. So, without a word, Sasuke stood up and started walking toward the double doors.

"A-Ano, Sasuke-sama," the receptionist stammered, "I can't let you go back there. Sakura-sama is in the middle of work and—"

Sasuke set his red eyes on her. She immediately stopped rambling.

"T-Try the nursery," she whispered.

He nodded at her, feeling Kakashi right behind him. They pushed through the double doors and made their way down the hallway. Sasuke pocketed his hands as he and Kakashi walked. They ignored onlookers and walked by a wide eyed Ino. They finally came to a halt in front of the maternity section and pushed through a doorway to enter the nursery hallway.

Sasuke stopped.

He tilted his head.

Sakura was behind the glass, holding some infant in her hands.

He tilted his head the other way.

She was staring at it with a look Sasuke had never seen before.

"Seems at least one of you will make a good parent," Kakashi muttered amusedly, watching as Sakura smiled gently down at the child in her arms.

Even through the wall, her words to the child were clear as crystal.

"Your mother gave us quite a scare today," Sakura whispered, dancing lightly with the child in her arms. "We nearly lost her." The child just stared up at her, blowing bubbles with his mouth. "But your mother, she loves you _so _much that she held on." Sakura sat down in the rocking chair, and swayed. "She held on because she wants to see you grow up."

Sasuke swallowed hard. This was too much. His teeth ground together.

"You'll be able to see your mom soon," Sakura hummed. "She's just sleeping right now because she is _very _tired."

The baby gurgled and Sakura laughed. She lifted her head up to relax her neck when saw Kakashi and Sasuke both staring at her. She blinked. A smile spread across her cheeks and she laid the child down in his crib. She made her way toward the glass and went for the side door.

"Kaka-sensei," Sakura said in surprise, "Sasuke...what are you doing here?"

"Ah, well, you see," Kakashi started, "I got lost on the path of life and..."

Sasuke wasn't looking at her. Sakura followed his dark gaze right into the infantry. He had a sad look in his eyes...it was almost longing. And then it hit her.

"Sasuke," she said, interrupting Kakashi's speech. "Come with me."

Before he could protest, she had his wrist in her fingers and she was tugging him into the infantry with her. Kakashi watched on, ready for the entertainment to begin.

"Sakura," Sasuke said as she shoved his hands under the facet and made him wash them. "What are you—"

She patted his fingers dry and led him over to the baby she had been holding. She beamed down at it.

"Sasuke, this is Akihiko," Sakura introduced him, picking him up gently. "Now hold out your hands."

"Sakura," Sasuke said, his eyes flashing dangerously, "Don't—stop—"

The next thing he knew she was placing the child in his arms. She let go.

"Just mind his head," Sakura said gently, rubbing the infant's forehead with her thumb.

Sasuke stared at the infant. The infant stared up at him. Sasuke tilted his head. The infant widened his eyes.

"..."

Sakura clasped her hands together cheerfully. "His mother is Hikari-san. We almost lost her during a C-section today, but..." She winked. "She's fine now. Just resting. I promised her I'd watch after the baby while she slept."

Sasuke didn't nod. He didn't acknowledge what Sakura had said. He just...kept looking into that baby's eyes.

"...Sasuke?" Sakura asked, looking at the Uchiha. "A-Are you okay? I can take Aikihiko back if you're not comfortable—"

"No," Sasuke said sharply, shifting his shoulder so he was blocking Sakura from reaching the baby. He saw the slight surprise in her eyes. He relaxed. "Ah, no. I'm fine."

Kakashi meanwhile, was looking at this scene with something akin to amazement. While Sasuke was the stereotypical overprotective father, Sakura was the not-so-stereotypical mother, nudging Sasuke's arms different directions to make sure the child was comfortable. Watching the two of them fuss over a child was just like looking into their future.

He smiled behind his mask.

It was just like looking into their very _bright _future.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"Sasuke, it's really not that bad."

The Uchiha ripped off his shirt and tossed it in the hamper.

"Babies throw up all the time!"

Sasuke growled. He turned the shower on.

"I'm sure Akihiko didn't mean it..."

Sasuke glared at Sakura who was standing in the doorway. Bags under her eyes and a sleepy smile, she still looked beautiful to him. Sasuke had enjoyed the night, but it wasn't what he was hoping their first all-nighter would be like. He had imagined a lot less clothing and no third party. Sasuke wasn't exactly into sharing. He averted his gaze as he yanked off his pants.

If she wanted to watch him strip, then _fine _by him.

She, of course, politely looked away, but still stood in the doorway.

She understood he was grumpy. It was normal to be so agitated. After all, they had spent the majority of six hours holding Aikihiko and taking care of him together.

Sakura couldn't help but feel surprised at Sasuke's behavior. He had held the child almost the entire time they were looking after him. Didn't his arms feel tired at all? She had only held the child for three hours and her arms were aching from the lack of movement. Sasuke held it for almost seven.

It was going great until the baby started crying for food. Sasuke, who clearly wasn't used to a baby, looked at Sakura like a ticking bomb was in his arms. She immediately took the child from his arms and called for one of her subordinates to get formula for the child.

Once the bottle was in her possession and the child had seemingly quieted down, Sasuke looked like he was dying to have the kid back in his arms. Sakura did as he wanted and showed him how to properly feed it.

Well, Sasuke, being the cocky bastard he was, got the handle of things and let the child gulp down the whole thing. Sakura proceeded to warn him to be careful when burping the child, but it was too late by the time she finished speaking. The kid had already vomited all over Sasuke.

"Ugh," Sasuke grunted, washing his hair, "I think it's _dried_."

Sakura snorted. "Need some help getting it off?"

She had asked it without even thinking. The moment the words left her lips, both Sasuke and Sakura tensed. Sasuke tilted his head back to rinse away the grime. He smirked. While he refused to accept help from _anyone _on most occasions, this was a special one.

"Ah," he agreed, sliding the shower curtain open and holding out a single hand.

He leaned against the wall cockily and waited for her to come. He couldn't see her, but he knew she was probably blushing really badly.

"O-Okay," Sakura said, biting her lower lip. "Just sit down in the tub and I'll—"

Before she could finish, a rather soapy Sasuke leaned out of the shower. He raised one eyebrow at her.

"Coming?"

Sakura bit her lower lip to try and squash the shiver that ran down her spine. She nodded slowly. Sakura took a deep breath and took three steps until she came in front of Sasuke. He was, surprisingly, obedient. He had lowered himself in the tub so the back of his head was facing her.

She couldn't see anything that may have needed a censor bar. She gulped. That didn't mean, however, that it wasn't _there._

Sakura got on her knees and softly asked for the shampoo. He handed it to her and she squirted it into the palms of her hands.

She was shaking. She shook her head, trying to get herself together. She had seen naked men before. She had touched men's penises several times. Hell, she even had to shove her finger up men's asses on several occasions. So why in the world was Sasuke's naked self making her so nervous?

She swallowed and rubbed her fingers through his hair. The silk threads of his hair were smooth and thick. A little thicker than her own hair, actually. So she rubbed his scalp with the tips of her fingers, only pausing to use the shower head to wash away the bits of baby vomit here and there.

She had gotten all of the gunk out of his hair and let the water run over his body. She tried to focus on the back of his head, because staring at his shoulders was _not _doing her any good.

"H-Hikari-san seemed pretty happy we stayed with Akihiko all night, ne?" Sakura asked, her voice slightly hitched from nervousness.

Sasuke, hearing the breathlessness of her tone, grinned. "Ah."

"You know, you're actually pretty good with babies," Sakura said slowly.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Was she trying to compliment him? He hummed in response.

"I think Akihiko really liked you," she laughed, squirting conditioner through her hands and rubbing his head. "Maybe you'd like to visit him again?"

"Ah," Sasuke sighed almost happily.

Sakura smiled, dunking water over his head. She ran her hand through his clean locks one more time before letting her hand drop. He caught it before it hit her thigh.

"My back," he said, not turning to look at her, "Still needs to be washed."

Sakura swallowed nervously. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest. She could either pick up that loofah and slide her hands all over his well built physique or walk out that door. With trembling hands, she reached for the wash rag and dunked it in the bath water.

Sasuke was well aware of Sakura's movements. Her shaking fingers, the short inhalations, the swift exhalations...Sasuke smirked. He made her nervous. She slowly dragged the loofah down his back. He leaned forward, shivering in response to her touch.

Well, fuck.

Sasuke hadn't expected to be so easily affected by her. He only requested her to wash his back as a means to seduce her. He didn't expect her to turn it on _him. _Little did he know, Sakura was doing it on purpose. She had anticipated a chance like this from Kurenai. Showers were the most common place to share an intimate moment without coming on too strong. She pressed her index finger into his back and started lightly massaging.

"Sakura," she heard Sasuke say.

His voice came out hoarsely.

Sakura grinned but innocently asked, "Nani, Sasuke?" She gently pulled the hair away from his neck and kissed where it once was. "Would you like it _harder?_" She placed her palms on either side of his lower spine, her fingers facing out. "Or softer?" She spread her palms out to the sides, slowly working her way up his toward his shoulders without removing her hands from his body. "Hn?"

Sasuke couldn't answer. His sharingan was activated from being so tense and his face was strained. He couldn't do this. He could _not _keep this facade up for much longer. He was so close to just throwing her body up against the wall and fucking her senseless. He shut his red eyes. He needed to calm down. He needed to breath.

And just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, her lips were on his ear, tongue flicking along it sweetly.

"Mou, Sasuke," she whispered, the air from her breath brushing by his cheek. "Do you like it like this?" She worked her way hard down his back. "Or like _this?_" She let her index and middle finger walk up his back.

Sasuke was angry. His plan had backfired. She was the one in control of the situation and he couldn't keep his cool. Fuck. He needed her. He needed her _now._ And just as he was about to drag her to the ground and open fire on her heart, she dropped the loofah in the tub with a 'plop!'

"Ah," she laughed with an airy voice, "Gomen, Sasuke...let me just..." His eyes shot wide open when her hand dunked beneath the surface and brushed his thighs in search for the damn loofah. "Ah, there." She picked the rag up, letting the cloth slide along his leg and brush by his fully erect cock before trailing it up his abs. "Found it."

She let it rest on his shoulders for a brief moment.

"Mou, Sasuke," she moaned.

Sasuke swallowed hard. "Ah."

Sakura leaned forward, her breasts touching his back through her shirt. "All finished."

And with that, she stood up and walked out the door.

* * *

"Ino?" Naruto asked, the door to the Hyūga household widening. "What're you doing here?"

"Can I...?" she asked hesitantly. "Can I come in?"

Naruto looked at her with raised eyebrows. Ino _never _paid personal visits to his household. The only times she came were if Chōji or Shikamaru accompanied her. Or if Sakura needed something from him. For the most part, they never really had heart to hearts. Which is exactly why he motioned for her to come in and got her settle in his living room as quickly as possible. Whatever it was, it had to have been serious.

"So what's up?" Naruto asked, laying down a cup of instant ramen in front of the blonde.

Ino laughed. What's up? He was asking her 'what's up' like nothing had happened? She gave him a stern look.

"I know about Sakura and Sasuke," she said, "And I know you have to give her the order in a few months."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, yeah, well..."

"Look, I'll say this as a shinobi of Konoha," Ino said, "Not as Sakura's best friend." She took a deep breath. "It is my duty to inform you that she is planning on leaving before you have to give the order and—"

Ino was surprised. It wasn't every day the Hokage's hand was on your face. She looked at him in gratitude. She didn't want to back stab her friend. She didn't want to have to out her for a possible betrayal of the village.

"Whatever Sakura is planning," Naruto said, glaring at Ino, "I _order _you never to tell me or anyone else for that matter."

Ino sighed in relief. "Arigatou, Naruto."

Naruto shook his blonde head and glared at his subordinate. "The hell, Ino? I know you're loyal to the village and everything but—"

It was then that Ino's tears welled up in her eyes. The tips of Naruto's eyes softened and he shook his head. She was only trying to do what was best for the village. She was a loyal shinobi. He'd give her that.

"Ino, why'd you come to me?" Naruto asked gently, breaking out the convenient box of tissues Hinata had laid out for moments like these. He pulled it off of the coffee table and gave the box to Ino. She'd need the whole lot of them. "You knew I'd stop you before you told me anything I didn't know already."

"It's so when she _does _do something horrible," Ino said, her lower lip quavering, "I won't be able to tell anyone what she's done."

Naruto's eyes widened. So she hadn't come to him to betray Sakura. Rather, she came so she didn't have to choose between the love of her village and the love of her friend. Ino sniffled. Naruto felt for her._  
_

They were both put in hard places, being both shinobi and best friends to Haruno Sakura.

"Ino," Naruto said slowly, "Sakura already has a full plan."

"Ah," Ino confirmed, knowing that this information wouldn't be leaked.

Naruto leaned forward and looked at Ino warily. A feeling of icicles sliding down his throat and plunging deep into his stomach passed through him. He narrowed his eyes.

"Ino...what are _you _going to do?"

Ino paled. "I-I can't tell you that."

The Hokage leaned back, his eyes wide. "Sh-She's not going to—"

"Naruto," Ino said coldly, locking eyes with the blonde. "The Hokage asked me not to tell you or anyone else what Sakura is planning."

Naruto felt the sudden urge to vomit. He didn't know what she was planning, but he knew he sure as hell wasn't going to like it. He took deep breaths.

"Ino," he panted, looking at her, "We _need _to make sure Sasuke falls for her." Determination flickered behind the fear in his eyes. "By any means necessary."

* * *

"A-Ano," Sakura stammered, her cheeks as red as Gaara's head. "A-Arigatou, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara, who sat across from her, raised an eyebrow. When he had gone to visit her that day at the hospital (Kankurō reluctantly in tow), he had found her slumped over her desk, soundly sleeping. He tried not to wake her up as he placed his white sash around her shoulders, but of course she woke up. She quickly apologized, giving a brief explanation that she hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night.

A comment which earned her a very perverted remark from the puppeteer.

After exchanging a few words with the Kazekage, Sakura found herself agreeing to yet another lunch between the two of them. He apparently had some things he needed to discuss with her. So she sat down with him at _Yokohama_, where Uchiha Sasuke had first requested her to rebuild his clan with him. She couldn't help but laugh, seeing that the hostess was the same as the last time. The poor woman, when she first saw the pink haired kunoichi, nervously looked between her and Gaara. She was probably wondering if another scene like the last would play out.

"So, you wanted to speak with me?" Sakura asked, taking a bite into the tuna on her plate.

"Ah," Gaara said, biting off a piece of gizzard. He motioned for Kankurō, who was standing behind Gaara, to sit at the third chair. "I asked Kankurō to deliver a message to the hospital in Suna."

Sakura chewed thoughtfully. "These are the preparations you were talking about?"

"Ah," Gaara replied as Kankurō sat between the pair. "I have to return home in a few days, and I would like to bring you with me."

Sakura blinked. "I-It's not that I wouldn't love to." She swallowed the fish she was chewing on. "I-It's just a little sudden, isn't it? I still have time and—"

Gaara smiled and held up a hand to cease her ramblings. "I meant as a visit. We would report it to Naruto as a mere peaceful traveling idea. You would stay in Sunagakure for a few days, teaching some of our medics your skills while I prepare a future home to your liking. It is merely to ensure that you have a place to come to if Sasuke doesn't..."

He stopped talking. He didn't want to speak so negatively in front of her. But, judging from the look in her eyes, she was a very realistic woman who knew to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

"It's a good idea," Sakura said slowly, taking a sip of her tea. "But I'm not so sure the head medical ninja of Konoha leaving so suddenly will be a good idea."

Gaara nodded. "I'm assuming Naruto will have to have shinobi accompany you."

Sakura laughed. "Unfortunately, yes." She shook her head. "Protocol..."

Gaara glanced at Kankurō. He was lucky to have his brother as his bodyguard, but he knew Sakura wouldn't be so lucky. She would have to have at least two men following her into Sunagakure and guarding her day and night.

"We'll need to be careful," Kankurō added roughly, looking at the pink haired kunoichi. "Any discussion of possible plans for your..." he glanced at the door to make sure no one was coming. "...permanent stay in Suna needs to be done at night there."

Gaara had to agree. It would be too risky if any of Konoha shinobi heard about their plans to bring Sakura to Suna. If the council caught wind of it, they could order her to rebuild the Uchiha clan before they could get her out.

"I will go, then," Sakura said hesitantly.

Gaara looked at her. "Your answer sounds unsure."

Sakura bit her lower lip and leaned back against the wall. She knew these plans had to be made. Even though things with Sasuke seemed to be going smoothly, she needed to get ready to flee the village at any time. It was just very difficult for her to do.

"This...this is my home, Gaara-sama," she started off softly. "The thought of leaving it forever is just..."

The red-head looked at her. He took in her slumped shoulders, the sad smile on her lips, her limp body...She was hurting over this. She was in pain. Gaara looked to Kankurō. His brother and bodyguard nodded. He swiftly rose, walked out the door and slid it shut behind him.

"Sakura," Gaara said gently. "I understand this is difficult. And I apologize for bringing up such a horrible topic up—"

"No," Sakura said, the determination firing up in her eyes once again. "You are doing so much for me. I can't let you apologize for anything."

Gaara stared at her. She was wrong. He had something else to apologize for...

"Back when I was young," Gaara said slowly, "My purpose in life was to kill." He averted his gaze. "And I tried to kill you and your comrades."

Sakura shook her head. "Gaara, that's in the past—"

"Then please," Gaara said, his head bent and his back arched into a bow, "Accept my apology." He shut his eyes. "Forgive my foolishness."

Sakura chuckled. "Gaara, there's nothing to forgive."

He did not look up at her until she reached for his hand across the table. Feeling her soft fingers that held so much power, he opened his eyes. She smiled at him. A true, genuine smile he was beginning to love more and more.

"We'll figure this out," she said, "Together."

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke had been swimming in the Uchiha lake since Sakura had left for the hospital that morning. He sighed and let the water carry him on his back. He stared up at the clouds Shikamaru was so fond of. He had to admit. It was a nice way to spend the day. Having had a concussion, he only needed to rest a little bit longer before he could get back to work. The whole not exerting himself and not working thing was getting a little old.

Although, after the morning _he _had, he was rather grateful for it.

Sakura had left him aroused beyond repair. He stayed in that shower for an _hour _before he finally came out to find her leaving for the hospital again. Soaking wet, and still horny, he decided to spend the day in the lake. He sighed and dunked his head in the water. A wise choice, in his opinion.

But when Hatake Kakashi had appeared out of nowhere to drag him from his comfort zone and over to Naruto's, the Uchiha was unhappy, to say the least. Even when Kakashi explained that it was an order from the Hokage, he refused to budge. It wasn't until the white haired shinobi mentioned Sakura's name that he decided to go.

So there Uchiha Sasuke was, standing in the Hyūga kitchen, wearing one of Hinata's aprons, helping Sakura make team seven dinner. Apparently Naruto wanted to "go back to old times." Sasuke had to roll his eyes at that one. That was just an excuse to have Sakura cook him dinner. Still though, as he chopped onions and she peeled potatoes, he had to agree that the old days weren't so bad.

"Mou, Sai!" Sakura scolded the emotionally troubled ninja, "Stop trying to measure it exactly."

Sai looked at the measuring cup filled with panko. "But I'm sure the recipe states to have a cup of panko and—"

Naruto yanked it from his hands and dumped it into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. "Lighten up, Sai." He cheekily grinned. "Live a little."

"I'm breathing, aren't I?" Sai asked in confusion as he checked his pulse.

Sakura stood on her toes to reach for the rice maker on top of the cabinet, but she couldn't quite reach. She slid her hips against the counter and pressed. Just when she was about to jump for it, a pair of masculine hands wrapped around her waist. She was moved gently aside as Sasuke reached for the machine. She felt her cheeks turn pink as he held out the rice maker for her.

"If there's something you need," Sasuke said quietly as Naruto dropped a few pots and pans to the ground, "Ask."

"H-Hai," Sakura said, her fingers brushing his as she took the rice maker away. "A-Arigatou."

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Kakashi asked, leaning on the doorway as he watched the Hokage throw a whole chicken into the bowl with the panko and sauces.

"Throwing in the chicken?" Naruto half asked, half said as he held the dead chicken by the leg.

"Naruto, you're supposed to _cut _it first!" Sakura scolded him, putting the rice maker on the counter and rushing to his side.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" Naruto asked, stubbornly folding his arms.

"It's called a recipe," Sasuke retorted.

"Urusai, teme!"

Sakura scooped the whole chicken and threw it on the cutting board.

"Baka!"

She rummaged the drawers.

"Dickless," Sai contributed, thinking this was a game.

Sakura, having finally found the utensil drawer, brought out a very _large _cutting knife. Kakashi's one good eye widened.

"Urasuratonkachi!"

With one fell swoop, Sakura had cut the chicken in half. Her three teammates stopped their bickering to look at her. She smiled. They quickly went back to their designated tasks without a single complaint.

"S-So I hear you're getting along well with Gaara," Naruto offered up as casual conversation.

He chopped the celery.

"Hai," Sakura replied casually, "I had lunch with him today." She separated the bone away from the chicken. "He's sweet."

Sasuke glanced at Sakura in the corner of his eye. The way she spoke of Gaara was similar to the way she spoke of Naruto. Sasuke smirked. Maybe he didn't have anything to worry about with Gaara after all.

"He invited me to go with him to Sunagakure," Sakura said nonchalantly. "He'd like me to work with some of the medics there for a few days."

Naruto looked at her with wide eyes. "E-Eh?"

"Of course, I'll have to put in an official request with you," Sakura said, waving the knife at Naruto. "But I think it's a good idea." She paused. "My medical supplies still haven't come in, right?"

Naruto swallowed. Right. The medical supplies he had sent team eight to retrieve.

"H-Hai," Naruto confirmed. "They haven't come in."

"Then I have nothing better to do," Sakura continued chopping the chicken and throwing the meat in the mixing bowl. "Ino can look after the Konoha hospital while I'm gone."

Kakashi looked at Sasuke with intrigue. The Uchiha, hearing this news, was surprisingly _calm_. Kakashi would have expected him to be boiling on the inside but he seemed to be perfectly fine.

"Y-You'll need guards," Naruto said. "I can look into it tomorrow and—" He stopped himself. He looked at Kakashi, Sai and Sasuke. "Hey, why not take team seven?" He grinned. "I mean, it won't be as awesome without me, but who better to escort you than one of the legendary Sannin and team seven?"

Sakura smiled. With team seven guarding her, she'd be able to spend more time alone with Gaara to plan out a possible escape. How could she refuse?

"I'd like that," Sakura said truthfully, "But what about Sasuke's police work?"

"And I have the flower shop to look after," Sai added. "It is my duty as a future son in law to uphold the Yamanaka—"

"Ah," Sasuke hummed, throwing the onions in the bowl. "It's fine. Chōji can look after things."

Sai tried again. "The Yamanaka Hana—"

"Kaka-sensei?" Naruto asked, turning on the white haired ninja.

His former sensei sighed. "Well, I _was _planning on reading some—"

"Then it's settled," Naruto said excitedly. "I'll fill out the paperwork in the morning and you can leave with Gaara in a few days."

Sakura laughed. "Hai, hai, _Hokage-sama._"

Sai looked at the three of them. He frowned. "But what about Yamanaka Hana?"

He was promptly ignored.

* * *

"Ah," Sakura sighed, leaning into Sasuke as they slid under the covers. "Naruto may be an idiot at times, but on occasion he has good ideas."

"Hn," Sasuke hummed.

He had to agree. Despite the baka Hokage's actions, the dinner was actually a good idea. He'd never say it to Sai's face, but his company wasn't so bad. You just had to sift through all of his insults to find the good intention behind them.

He felt Sakura lean her head into his chest when he suddenly remembered the _evil _little thing she had done to him that morning. He glared at her. How dare she cuddle up close to him after leaving him so _aroused _like that?

"Ne, Sasuke," Sakura murmured, the moonlight pouring in from outside highlighting her porcelain skin. "Would you like to come with me to the hospital tomorrow?" She rubbed her index finger over his bare nipple. "I'm sure Akihiko would like to see you again."

She slowly and lightly grazed her fingers in circles around the outer edges of his nipples before tugging it slightly with her thumb and forefinger. Sasuke tensed. She was at it again. He looked down at her, trying to figure out whether she was doing this knowingly or she was just truly oblivious to the effect she had over him. He clenched his jaw.

Regardless, he needed to punish her. He tilted her chin upward so he could see her pretty jade eyes sparkle in surprise as he kissed her. But he didn't kiss on the mouth. No, he gave her little pecks all over her face. Everywhere and _anywhere_ except the lips. As he felt her pull closer, he ran his tongue along the outline of her mouth. He could feel her hands slide around to his back, clinging to him as he mercilessly teased her.

Her legs, once entwined with his, were now on either side of him. She straddled him, cupping his face with her hands. She wanted him to kiss her. She was so close to begging, Sasuke could feel it.

So before she had to beg, he let her lips ensnare his own. She pressed his back to the bed, his head falling to his pillow as he allowed her to ravish him. He lightly brushed his lips against hers, letting the sensation of his exhales linger on her skin.

Sakura slid her tongue down his neck, hesitating only to circle his jugular so she could feel his heartbeat. The salt of his skin tasted so delicious, she just wanted more. So Sakura flicked her mouth over his erect nipple and gently tugged on it with her teeth. She heard him inhale sharply and hiss. She grinned against his chest, her fingers spread wide out over his abs.

Yes, Haruno Sakura was _fully _aware just how much effect she had over him. And if she didn't know before, the hardness of his cock against the clothing she wore was a big enough indicator. And big, it most certainly was. Her breasts barely grazed over it as she lightly nipped at his chest with her mouth.

It wasn't until she was down at his waist band that Sasuke grabbed her by her hips and flipped her on her back. She landed with an, 'oof,' softly on the pillows. Sasuke's dark eyes looked at her greedily, taking in the beauty of her aroused body. Even though Sakura was fully clothed, she could feel the Uchiha undressing her with his eyes. Those hypnotizing onyx eyes of his.

Sakura bit her lower lip as he lowered himself to her neck, then rising as he gripped her waist tightly to get a good position on top of her. He sucked on her earlobe for a moment and then traced the outline of her ear with the tip of his tongue. She felt a tingling sensation shake her to the core. Sasuke's thumbs massaging her lower abdominal was _not _helping things.

She couldn't focus. What was it Kurenai had said about remaining calm, cool, and collected no matter what? Sakura knew she needed to gain control back, but it was _impossible _with him gently breathing in her ear.

"_Sakura_," Sasuke murmured softly.

Her chest jolted upward slightly at the call of her name. Her heart was pounding like there was no tomorrow. She felt Sasuke lower his full weight on her, his cock fully erect against her thighs. He dug his thumbs against her hip bone a little to make her part her legs. Sakura did so willingly, letting them bend on either side of him. He brought his hand to her cheek as he let his lips drag along the side of her face down to her lips. But he did not kiss her there.

No, he paused, his eyes looking at her plump, pink lips. He lightly traced the outline of her top and then bottom lip with the tip of his index finger. He then repeated with the tip of his tongue. He felt her body rise when he kissed her mouth. He smirked. There. Sakura allowed his tongue to enter her mouth. He held her face firmly while he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. He gently sucked on her lips, making her moan into the cave of his mouth.

"_Sakura_," Sasuke panted, pulling slightly away, rising above her.

Sakura felt helpless. It was like she was drowning in Sasuke's black orbs. He lifted her chin to look up at him and he pulled her up to him. She leaned forward to kiss him once again, closing her eyes in the process.

A soft sensation hit her face.

She blinked her eyes open.

_A pillow?_

Sasuke had gotten off of her and was settling down in bed. The Uchiha was leaning against the headboard, all traces of arousal long gone. He looked at her with a smirk before turning on his side away from her.

"Oyasuminasai, _Sakura._"

He let out a chuckle when he heard her muffled scream of frustration.

Oh yeah.

Uchiha Sasuke was a sex god.

And he _knew _it.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Demo: But**

**Chotto Matte: Hold on a sec/wait**

Uchiha Sasuke's eyes shot wide open the moment Haruno Sakura parted her lips and gently blew hot air on his bare nipple. He stared up at her towering over him, saddling him like it was no big deal. He noticed her fingers were wrapped around his wrists, pinning him to the bed. He caught the serious look on her face. Immediately, he knew he was in deep shit.

Deep, _deep _shit.

The night before, he was completely in control, but in this situation, _she _had him right where she wanted him. Her legs were spread wide apart, knees digging into the sheets around them. She pulled his wrists together and held on with one hand. She let her other cup his cheek and trail down to his chin so she could force him to look at her.

She narrowed her eyes. "_Don't_ try to use the sharingan on me." He saw a small, almost innocent smile appear on her face. "Or else I'll have to punish you."

Sasuke, who was too distracted by the perkiness of her breasts through her dark blue nightgown, didn't respond. He was still wondering how in the world she had managed to sneak up on him while he was sleeping, wake him up in such a fashion, and how exactly she was going to go about this little scene.

Morning wood is a common occurrence in men. In fact, throughout the night, they experience random moments of arousal while they sleep. So being hard in the morning wasn't unusual to Sasuke. What _was _unusual was having Haruno Sakura on top of him, grinding her hips against his.

Her fingers went from his chin down his neck to his thick abs. There, she leaned down to drag her tongue from his belly button up to his sternum. She threw her head back, pink hair and all, arched her back and thrust her hips toward his face.

She wanted him to _feel _her through her soaking wet clothing. She was still so pissed from the previous night. The moment she woke up, she decided to attack him.

She wanted to _ravage _that damn Uchiha.

So she placed her hand over his heart, feeling it pound against her fingers and she placed her mouth on his, kissing him in time to the thumping of his heart. Whenever his heart would pause, she would back off slightly, pulling at the corner of his lip slightly to let him know she wasn't finished. Slowly, she let go of his wrists, entwining their fingers together as she rubbed them firmly. She felt him smirk against her mouth, gripping at her fingers. Sasuke slid his hands away from hers and dragged her fingers through his scalp to tug on her pink hair. He wanted more of her, and he made _sure _she was aware of it.

So she slid her hands down to his sides and rubbed them in hard, long strokes. She kept pulsating against his groin, kissing him more passionately with each thrust of her hips. He felt her hard nipples brush against his through her shirt, and he slowly raised his hand up her silk shirt, feeling her muscular, flat stomach before coming _so _close to her beautiful breasts.

She caught his hand and slammed it against the pillow beside his head. He raised an eyebrow.

"You can look," she said coyly, "But don't touch."

Sasuke was _not _having this. He was about to pick her up by her hips and throw her back on the bed, when she suddenly took his restricted hand and brought it to her mouth. She unlocked your lips and swirled her tongue around his index and middle fingers in a circular motion. She kept her jade eyes locked on his cool dark ones as she teased his fingers, gently swiping her teeth occasionally against his skin to keep him interested.

Haruno Sakura wanted to devour him. She wanted to swallow him whole, but she knew she had to savor him slowly. Uchiha Sasuke was like decadent dessert. She needed to take her time sucking the sweetness off of the spoon before licking away the remaining sugar. His gaze turned dark as he watched her wet his fingers. Oh yes. Haruno Sakura was in control.

She let his fingers drop from her mouth before she grabbed both of his hands. She let her back fall to his legs, still straddling him in the process. He felt her tight ass against his throbbing cock and he arched his back. Sakura dug into his core, holding onto his hands tightly, feeling him wrap his hands around her wrists. They remained there, in a tug of war, not able to see the other's face, just _feeling _the other for a few moments.

Uchiha Sasuke was the first to break. He sat up, yanking her up in the process. She looked down at him, his hands around her waist as she wrapped her fingers tightly in his black hair. She gently kissed his head, his cheeks, his lips...She could feel it. They were hers. They were _all _hers.

And as she pulled away from his mouth, her eyes slowly opening, she saw the red of the sharingan blaring.

Sakura fell limp against Sasuke.

He sighed, feeling her collapse on him. He rubbed his nose into the nook of her neck, inhaling her sweet, delectable scent before gently laying her back down on the bed. He exhaled once more and ran his fingers through his hair.

He had two problems.

The first of which was his boner. He was going to have to jerk off in a cold shower..._again._

The second, of course, was the little pink haired seductress in his bed. He smirked, letting the back of his hand brush against her cheek.

He couldn't take her too soon. If he was going to stain this beautiful flower properly, he was going to take his sweet time.

* * *

"You called?" Kakashi asked, pocketing his hands as he stood in the doorway of the Hokage's office.

"Oh, yeah," Naruto replied, motioning for his former sensei to come closer. "I need to talk to you about your mission in Suna."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he walked over to the blonde's desk. "It's just escorting and protecting Sakura, isn't it?" Kakashi folded his arms and scratched the front of his neck. "Or is there something more you need to inform me of?"

Naruto frowned. Kakashi looked to the stoic, pale ninja to the left of him and briefly nodded at Sai. He found it interesting that Sasuke wasn't there.

"The two of you have one more mission to accomplish in secret," Naruto started off.

Kakashi and Sai exchanged a look. Whatever it was, Sasuke and Sakura were clearly not to be informed.

"I need you two to make sure Sakura and Sasuke get closer during this mission," Naruto said.

Kakashi blinked. "You want us...to play matchmaker?" He narrowed his eye. "_Why?_"

Naruto sweat dropped. "Ah, well..."

"Perhaps you have some sort of weird fetish?" Sai asked.

"Fuck, Sai," Naruto growled, ruffling his blonde hair. "No. I _don't _have a weird fetish."

Sai blinked. "But you made Hinata do that interesting back bend with your foot—"

Naruto held up his hand to stop Sai from talking. "Look, the council members really want Sakura and Sasuke to start rebuilding the clan as soon as possible."

Kakashi tensed. He had a hunch there was something more serious at play with Sakura and Sasuke. No wonder the Hokage was so adamant to get Sasuke to admit his feelings.

"If he doesn't fall in love with her by the end of three months, I'm gonna have to give an order I _really _don't want to," Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "So while they're out of Konoha, it's your job to get them together."

Sai paused. "So you're going to command them to perform coitus as a duty to the village."

Kakashi sweat dropped. He couldn't _believe_ Naruto would be wrapped up in such a mess. Scratch that. He _could _believe it. This was Uzumaki Naruto. Always achieving the impossible no matter what. Did Naruto even realize what he was going to put Sakura and Sasuke through? While he himself wouldn't run from an order to fuck Shizune, Haruno Sakura was a completely different matter.

She was someone who had waited her life for some dumb traitor to love her. If she was forced to rebuild the clan with Sasuke without a declaration of love, it would destroy her.

"Naruto," Kakashi sighed exasperatedly, "Do you even realize what you're asking from us?"

"I do believe we will encounter some difficulties in this mission," Sai agreed, nodding slowly. "I wouldn't use the word 'impossible,' demo..."

"We're dealing with a hot tempered medical ninja who can crush skulls without even batting an eye," Kakashi hissed, "And an emotionless bastard that, back in the day, didn't blink an eye when trying to kill us all." He shot a look at Sai. "You might not use the word 'impossible,' but I most certainly will."

"They shouldn't need much encouragement," Kakashi said. "But with him acting as her protector, getting the two of them alone will be quite impossible."

"Gaara will help with that," Naruto said with the wave of his hand.

Kakashi's good eye narrowed. "The Kazekage knows?"

"Ah," Naruto said with a wave.

"Who else knows?" Kakashi asked.

"Ino, Sakura, Hinata," Naruto answered. "Tsunade-obaachan..."

Kakashi bit the inside of his cheek. He needed to speak with Sakura. He _thought _she had been acting a little differently. So the situation was amore severe than she had let on. So, the white haired ninja, ever protective of his dear students, leaned forward and glared at Naruto.

"Does _Sasuke _know?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto laughed nervously. "Ah, no."

"Good," he said, "Let's _keep _it that way."

Although Naruto and Sakura liked to look at Sasuke through innocent eyes, Kakashi knew better. The minute Sasuke found out that Sakura belonged to him regardless of her choice, he was going to do what he liked _when _he liked. Kakashi did _not _have a good feeling about that. He was going to make sure Sasuke _never _found out about such an order. Even if he was getting older, he would still die to protect his dearest students.

"We'll do it," Kakashi replied, still glaring at his pupil. "I just wish you had told me sooner."

Naruto hung his head low, feeling like he had just kicked puppies all day. He never liked it when he disappointed Kakashi.

"Of course we'll do it," Sai said, pulling Naruto away from his dark thoughts, "But there is one flaw with this plan."

Naruto and Kakashi looked at him expectantly.

"Sasuke does not have a penis."

* * *

Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura had an interesting relationship. When one of them was upset, the other knew immediately without even having to ask or needing to press for information. On occasions when the other was sad, it was customary to treat the other to soup and ice-cream. When they were happy, they'd celebrate with drinks. But this issue...this issue was completely different.

"Sakura...are you _horny?_"

The pink haired kunoichi looked up at her best friend in irritation. "No, I am _not _horny."

Ino tilted her head at the head medical ninja trying to hide behind mountains of paperwork. "Then why do you keep shifting in your chair every five seconds?"

"Oh my god," Sakura laughed, uncrossing her legs and crossing them again, "I am _not_."

Ino folded her arms, letting her clipboard fall into her lap. "What do you call _that?_"

"What?" Sakura asked sweetly, uncrossing her legs yet again. "I'm not shifting. I'm just trying to find a comfortable position." She clutched the arm rests nervously. "This chair is just...too lumpy. That's all."

"Lumpy," Ino drawled out slowly, looking at Sakura with doubtful blue eyes. "Why don't you just spit it out? The sooner you do, the sooner we can get you a vibrator."

Sakura huffed. She had told Ino of the failed attempt with her vibrator. It just _died _on her. And now that she was making out with the Uchiha left and right, she needed one more than ever. She _especially _needed one after that morning.

"Spit _what _out?" Sakura asked, straightening a small pile of papers before laying them out on her desk. She grabbed her pen and started clicking it anxiously. "Everything's fine."

"Sakura," Ino growled. "What's going on?"

Her lower lip trembled, trying to keep her lips sealed. She _couldn't _tell Ino. It was too embarrassing. But seeing the raised eyebrows did it in for her.

"He used his sharingan on me," Sakura confessed, slamming her forehead to the desk, "And he _teased _me like _crazy _in the genjutsu." She groaned, rubbing her red forehead. "By the time I came to, he was _long _gone."

Ino's eyes widened. "He made you have a _wet dream _about him?"

"I know!" Sakura huffed angrily, "I'm supposed to be seducing him! He's not supposed to have that much of an effect on me!" She groaned and shook her head. "He kept grinding against me and saying my name in the damn genjutsu." She shut her eyes tightly. "I didn't even get to see his penis!"

Ino giggled.

"Don't laugh," Sakura growled, chucking her pen at the blonde, "Don't you _dare _laugh."

"G-Gomen," Ino snorted, waving her hand in front of her face, "I-It's just...I didn't realize Sasuke was so _kinky!_"_  
_

"Urusai," Sakura snapped. She leaned back in her chair and shook her head.

"Well, how exactly did you fall under the genjutsu?" Ino asked. "What was going on before that?"

Sakura blushed. "We were making out..."

Ino grinned. "There's more to it than that. Don't hold out on me, forehead girl."

"Okay, _fine,_" Sakura sighed, "I woke him up and started dry humping the shit out of him."

"That's my girl," Ino said happily.

"Things were getting pretty heated," Sakura continued, ignoring Ino's comment. "I mean, we were _both _really getting into it..." She tried to cover her red face. "A-And I did that cool back position you taught me."

"Which one?" Ino asked.

"The one where your back kind of presses against his legs so your ass is rubbing all over his dick?" Sakura offered.

"Oh yeah!" Ino exclaimed, "That one's super fun." She tilted her head. "I've never tried it with clothes on, is it any good that way?"

"Ino, _focus_," Sakura scolded.

"Hai, hai," Ino replied. "So you did that and then what happened?"

"W-Well," Sakura stammered, pushing a bang out of her face, "He pulled me up and we made out for a little, but when I pulled away, he just kind of..."

"Mind-fucked you," Ino finished for her.

"Y-Yeah," Sakura sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I mean, I don't get it. Did I do something wrong? Why'd he put me under a genjutsu and then just _leave _like that?"

Ino heard the hurt in her voice. She immediately reached out for her best friend's hand.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she assured her, "When I used to make Sai horny, he would knock me out before I'd get to take his clothes off." She rubbed Sakura's palm gently. "Of course, he was just confused at his massive arousal and didn't really know how to handle it..." She laughed. "He thought I was performing some weird jutsu on his groin—"

"The _point_, Ino," Sakura reminded her.

"Right," Ino laughed, "The _point _is that maybe Sasuke doesn't know how to handle you."

"Oh, trust me," Sakura said dryly, "He knows how to handle me."

If there was anything she learned from that kinky genjutsu he placed on her, it was that.

"But does he know how to handle a relationship?" Ino asked. "I mean, this guy hasn't dated and I'm pretty sure the only girl he's ever gotten down and dirty with was that Karin bitch." She noticed Sakura's roll of the eyes. "Hey, you know she loved it every time he bit her."

Sakura sighed. Ino was right. Maybe she just needed to let _him _come to her. She did initiate their first kiss after all. And she had always come onto him strongly. Relationships were a game of give and take. She needed to let him have some form of control and show her where he wanted their relationship to go from there.

"So just...wait?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sometimes the best seduction tactic is to leave some bait for the boy," Ino replied. "Let him come to you. Don't even mention the genjutsu he put you under. I bet he thinks you're going to attack him the next time you see him."

Sakura nodded. She had to admit, she _did _think about it...She grinned evilly. Oh yes. She had thought about it for the majority of the day. But she knew Ino was right. It was time to let Sasuke come to her of his own accord.

"So just drive him wild," Sakura said.

"Make it a game," Ino replied. "See if you can get him going without sexual touches."

Sakura grinned. She liked challenges.

"All right," Ino said, standing from her chair and stretching. "Let's go."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Go where?"

"Shopping of course," Ino said with a wink, "How're you supposed to relieve yourself when you don't even have a vibrator?"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was a little surprised when Naruto showed up at the police station breathless. At first he was going to ask the idiot what was wrong, but the monotonous teammate behind him was the only answer he needed. When Sai was around, _everything _was wrong.

"Sai says you don't have a penis!" Naruto panted.

Sasuke's temple throbbed. First day back at work after having had a concussion and already there were issues. He closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose.

"I simply wonder whether it is there or not," Sai insisted. He looked at the furious Uchiha. "Forgive me, but having never seen it, I can only conclude that it is not there." He paused. "Although Naruto claims he's seen it many times—"

"Shut it, Sai!" Naruto snarled.

"Is that _all _you came here to say?" Sasuke asked, irritatedly.

Sai and Naruto looked at one another. When they had wrapped things up with Kakashi, the meddling Hokage and jōnin high-tailed it over to the police station to try and speed things along with Sasuke and Sakura. It was nearing the end of the first month and Naruto was determined to at least have some form of progress by the end of it.

"No, actually," Sai said, backing away from the mad Hokage. "We came to find out if you've performed coitus with Sakura."

Sasuke leaned back against his chair and looked at his two comrades. He folded his arms impatiently. He had a ton of work to do after missing work for a few days. He did not have time for Naruto's idiotic plans and schemes.

"Way to go, Sai," Naruto grumbled, smacking his teammate upside the head. "You could've handled it a little bit more delicately."

"You are both _really _irritating," Sasuke growled.

"So you haven't?" Naruto prodded.

"It's _none _of your damn business," Sasuke snapped.

Sai tilted his head. "I must disagree, Sasuke. It is the Hokage's duty to be aware of the current population of his village, so if Sakura is pregnant—"

"P-Pregnant!?" Naruto stammered, glaring at Sasuke. "If she is, you better take responsibility, teme. I swear, I'm going to—"_  
_

"She's not pregnant," Sasuke said, having a sudden urge to slam his head into his desk. "We haven't had sex." He looked at the pair. "You can leave now."

"No way," Naruto shot back. "You're dating one of my best friends and I want to make sure you're treating her right."

Sasuke didn't feel the need to explain to the blonde that he wasn't technically dating her. They weren't officially in a relationship. They just had a silent agreement of intimacy.

"I'm not leaving," Naruto snapped.

"This is my office," Sasuke retorted.

"This is _my _village," Naruto sneered.

"This is my art pad," Said said, holding it up, not quite fully understanding the demonstration of male testosterone at play.

"Look," Naruto said, "I know you two are getting all hot and heavy—" He noticed Sasuke's scowl. "But could you at least take her on a date before you leave for Sunagakure?"

Sasuke tensed. The last date they went on wound up being a disaster and the night swiftly ended with vomit all down the front of Sasuke's shirt. No, he was not eager to take the pink haired kunoichi on a date.

"Consider it a mission from the Hokage," Naruto coaxed him.

"I respectfully decline," Sasuke shot back.

"You need to take her on a date," Naruto said, "Don't you want her to rebuild your clan?"

"We went for a walk the other night," Sasuke said.

Sai and Naruto exchanged looks.

"Perhaps you would like to borrow one of my books?" Sai asked with a smile. "There are well over a thousand date ideas. Ino and I have never been on a same date twice."

"No."

Sai smiled. "A short answer. Much like your penis."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

"Dates need flowers!" Naruto complained. "And candlelight! And what the _hell _are you doing? You two go on a fucking walk together? Ask her on a damn date! You already know she'll say yes!"

Sasuke glared at Naruto. He didn't need to ask Sakura on a date. They were already intimate, and wasn't that the point of dating? To accomplish a relationship of sorts? Sasuke tilted his head back to look at his ceiling. He cooked her dinner, she healed him, they took walks...Sasuke frowned and closed his eyes. Was there more to this that he needed to know?

"If you give her a taste of romance, your chances of procreation are doubled," Sai said.

Sasuke's interested was peaked. With one eye open, he looked at Naruto.

"What's a place she'll like?"

Naruto grinned cheekily. "Ichiraku Ramen—"

Both Sasuke and Sai smacked Naruto over the head. Sasuke paused as he sat back down in his seat, looking at Sai with a nod. Despite his social challenges, the emotionless bastard was starting to catch on.

"What the hell?" Naruto asked, glaring at the two of them. "I know why Sasuke hit me, but Sai—?"

"I thought it was appropriate," Sai said, blinking in confusion. "Isn't it normal after an idiotic statement to get beaten for it?"

"Ah," Sasuke agreed.

"I do believe Sakura would love to go to _Kobe_," Sai said honestly, "I overheard her and Ino speaking about it during one of their 'girl nights.'"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. _Kobe _was well known for its date nights and it was a nice place he could take her.

"I'll ask her tonight," he said, looking at Naruto's excited face. "...Why the hell are you crying?"

"Because," he hiccuped, wiping away his tears and blowing his nose on Sai's art pad, "My babies are growing up!"

That earned another punch from both Sai and Sasuke.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was surprised to see Haruno Sakura calmly lying down in his bed. After the morning they had shared, he fully expected her to be behind a closed door ready to attack him. But instead, she was just simply lying down on her back, reading one of her medical books. She only stopped to turn the page and glance up at him to acknowledge that she saw him.

"How was your day?" she asked calmly, eyes flicking over the words on the page.

"Good," Sasuke said as he tugged off his shirt.

"Good," Sakura agreed.

And then _silence._

Sasuke blinked. Was this the silent treatment Naruto and Sai were always complaining about? He narrowed his eyes. No. She didn't seem mad. She just seemed...calm.

Most men in this situation would warn Sasuke not to go near her. After he had used a genjutsu on her, she was a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode. But the Uchiha, of course, was prepared. He was confident he had the finesse to cut the right wires and get her back to normal.

So what did the Uchiha do?

He grabbed the top of the book and slowly slid it from her fingers. She raised her eyebrows at him. He had her attention now. Holding her face firmly but gently while he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. His fingers, tugging at her hair from the back roots, yanked tenderly at her pink hair to help him get more access to her lips.

He pulled away slowly, looking at the dazed look in her eyes. "Gomen." Her eyes widened. He was apologizing? "For this morning..."

_Oh_.

Sakura blushed. "I-It's not that I _didn't _like it." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. The look in her eyes darkened. "Demo..."

Sasuke smirked. She didn't need to continue. He knew he left her all hot and bothered. He leaned forward once more to push her down against the bed. She stared up at him with wide, jade eyes. He towered over her, his hands wrapped in her pink hair as he looked down at her.

"Beautiful," he murmured, as she had done so before, "Your eyes..."

Before she had a chance to respond, he bent down to her, letting his lips take her own. Her eyes slowly closed as his hands grabbed at hers, forcing her to stay put. He felt her submission and he pursued her further. He felt her moan down to his toes as he explored her mouth. She heard him whisper her name as he slowly slid his fingers up her shirt.

Sakura was barely aware of the fabric of her shirt rising as he kissed her neck down to her breasts. He could see her nipples through the silky blue material and it just drove him to want more of her. He wanted her naked under him, hair sprawled out with her lips begging for him to pour himself inside of her.

And then, she made a noise he knew he _definitely _desired more of. Her lips parted to exhale a sigh of pleasure and he felt the chills run down his spine. He licked along the flesh of her chest, his other hand pulling from her entangled hair down to the small silky shorts she was wearing. He tugged at the waist band and then at the lace underwear she was wearing. He slowly opened his eyes his fingers close to her second pair of lips.

She gasped and tensed. He felt her shake and he pulled his hand away. She wasn't ready for that. Not quite yet. So he gently kissed her forehead and sought to comfort her. Still, his hands were so close to her breasts...

Sasuke pulled his fingers away from the mounds of flesh begging to be taken. He would respect her body. This was, after all, his lover and the mother to his future children. Her body was a temple he wanted to remain sacred until it was ready to cave to his will.

He gently lowered himself onto her, pressing her body into the mattress further. He heard her say his name and he kissed her earlobe in response. Making sure not to accidentally slip into the inner workings of her ear, he traced her lobe with his tongue and made his way to the back of her neck. He buried his face into her, nipping lightly at her neck.

He felt her hands run through his hair, and her legs spread apart to give him better access. Sakura was allowing him to run this show. She listened when Ino gave advice, and boy, what _excellent _advice it was. Having Sasuke let his fingers glide down her sides was driving her wild.

Feeling his hard cock against her throbbing core, Sakura couldn't help but to raise her hips to meet his. He responded by thrusting back. Her palms rubbed against his bare chest, and he opened his eyes to look at the ecstasy on her face. While he was content with pleasing her, his own desires could not be put off for much longer.

So he ventured down once again. His fingers made it past her waist band and into the lace panties she wore. She kept kissing him, vaguely aware of the presence near her vagina. He rubbed the soft skin around her entrance way, feeling the wetness that had seeped out of her. He was so close to her lips. He wanted to part them and slide his fingers inside of her.

"Ch-Chotto matte!"

Sasuke's eyes widened as Sakura pushed him away. She blushed furiously and covered her mouth. She wouldn't look at him.

"A-Ano," she said, swallowing nervously and trembling. "I-I'm not ready for that...a-ano..."

She threw herself out of bed and fled for the bathroom.

Sasuke looked at her fading back, bringing his soaked fingers to his lips. He licked her sweet juices from his fingers.

Yes, she was _his_ Sakura. And he was going to taint her petals _thoroughly_.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Oni-san tried to help me write the chapter:**

_"He then put his lips apon hers once again pressing up against hers adding tongue here and there, she then sucked on his tongue inside her mouth sharing saliva all while grabbing onto his sides tightly pulling him closer. Sasuke then picked her up..."_

_"The ocean waves were also like a porcupine eating an antelope. Sasuke started to puke from nervousness swept over him like an eagle swooping in on his prey while puking out a small mouse that he had eaten the night before for a late night snack. The heat from their bodies touching was quickly followed by some electricity that shocked their innards which made them even more attracted to one another far more than ever before. They were bound to each other like a cobra surrounding its meal that the eagle that was mentioned before had eaten. This bond was getting stronger by the second as Sasuke used his Sharingan to look into sakuras soul which he began to kiss with his. As their souls kissed they began to float across the water. They began floating further and further across the lake towards the dark cliff mountain that was on the other side. There was a dragon on the top of the mountain that had spotted them both making out hard core and thought to himself in English specifically "I should try to eat them considering that they look like very experienced ninja." As the dragon swooped down Sasuke while still using his Sharingan to kiss sakuras soul, kicked the dragon right in the face which caused the dragons body to flip inside out and forced the dragons skeleton to fly through the dark mountain taking it down forever. As sasuke and sakura floated back towards the dock, naruto and hinata began to walk up and decided to try to play a prank on them both for fun..."_

**It brings new meaning to "Crack Fanfic".**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Ossu: Yes sir**

"And you just _snuck _out?" Ino snorted, walking down the hospital hallway with Haruno Sakura. "Are you _shitting _me?"

"I couldn't just stay in bed waiting for him to wake up," Sakura groaned, shaking her head, "After last night?" She turned to the wall and leaned her head against it. "He was _right _there and I just ran _away!_" She smacked her head against the white wall, creating a dent. "Who does that?" She rubbed it deep into the small hole. "Who _does _that?"

"Apparently you," Ino laughed, looking at the poor nurses that were walking by who clearly questioned the sanity of the head medical nin. "Oh, relax forehead girl. I told you Sai knocked me out whenever he got a boner. It can't get much worse than that."

Sakura sighed as her blonde friend dragged her away from the wall. "I can't face him. I just _can't._ I'm supposed to be seducing him!" She frowned. "How am I supposed to do that and keep my own desires in check?"

Ino tugged at her white jacket. "Good question." She pressed her finger to her cheek. "He's the last survivor of the Uchiha clan whose sole purpose in life is now to rebuild his clan." She shrugged. "There's no way to escape your carnal urges. I say fuck his brains out."

Sakura glared at her friend. "I can't do that. I can't give in until he loves me."

"Maybe you're focusing too much on the aspect of love, you know?" Ino said slowly. "I mean, it's okay to have sex with the guy..."

"But I don't want him to think I'm just someone he can fuck for kids," Sakura protested, "I want to make love."

"Do you really think he'd be doing the things he's doing if he didn't care?" Ino asked, scratching her neck, a habit she picked up from Shikamaru. "If you really want to know, just _ask_."

Sakura blinked. "Just...ask?"

"When he's got you laid down and naked, ask why he's doing it," Ino said with a grin. "I guarantee you'll get the answer you're looking for."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "_If _I can even get naked in front of him. He had his _hand _in my _pants_ and I just ran away!"

Ino tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "It'll come with time."

Sakura pouted. "I don't _have _time. I've got like two months to get this blockhead to love me."

"Relax, forehead girl," Ino teased. "It'll happen. Just sex it up."

"Sex it up?" Sakura asked.

"You two are already in a relationship, ne?" Ino said, wiggling her eyebrows. "Just let it play out."

Sakura frowned. "Well...we're not exactly in a relationship."

Ino raised an eyebrow. "Maybe that's what you need to ask him first then."

Sakura groaned. "Oh, but Ino..."

"Don't 'but Ino' me," the blonde said with a glare. "You want a relationship with that bastard? Do the work."

Sakura slowly nodded. She could do that. She could sit down with him and talk about what she needed from him. After all, he sat down with her and demanded that she rebuild his clan. Sakura couldn't just demand him to love her, but she _could _demand they have a proper relationship. If he was really reluctant to have a relationship, she could always use the rebuilding of the Uchiha clan to sway his decision.

So she made the choice.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah. I'll ask him tonight."

"Ask who tonight?" a male voice came from over their shoulders.

Sakura and Ino turned to find Kankurō and Gaara looking out of place as ever. Sakura raised an eyebrow. Well, the nurses weren't the only ones surprised to see the redhead and his body guard.

"Gaara-sama," she said with a slight bow, "Kankurō. What can I do for you?"

"Do you have a moment to speak?" Gaara asked, politely.

Sakura looked to Ino. They didn't have much to do. Sakura was just showing Ino some of the tasks she'd have to take on while she was away.

"Of course," Sakura replied cheerfully.

"I apologize for the short notice," Gaara started off, "But I was hoping you would be able to spare a few minutes so we can discuss—"

Sakura' stomach let out a low, _low_ growl that she was positive the entire second floor heard. Her ears turned red. She hadn't eaten anything since she slipped out of the Uchiha manor that morning and it was already past noon. She looked up at a chuckling Kankurō and she heard Ino's chuckles. Gaara, however, smiled and let out a small chortle.

"...lunch it is, then?"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was a little ticked to say the least. First of all, Haruno Sakura had snuck out of bed early in the morning before he had a chance to wake up. Second of all, he had completely forgotten to ask her on a date.

He couldn't believe he had been reduced to nothing more than a hormonal boy the night before. He was so distracted with her, he hadn't asked her out on a date. Sasuke frowned. They were leaving for Suna the next day. He didn't have much time to make reservations and ask her out. But he was Uchiha Sasuke. He'd get it done no matter what.

So there he sat with Chōji in his office, trying to explain how to run the police station while he was away on a mission. It had been a while since he left Konoha, but Sasuke had full faith in Chōji's abilities.

"...and if someone files a complaint," Sasuke said motioning to the filing cabinet behind him, "You make a copy of it before handing it to your subordinates."

"Ah, ossu!" Chōji said excitedly.

They had been working together for a while, and while Sasuke found him to be clumsy at times, he had to admit: Chōji was a very hard worker. But he was also going to be head of the Akimichi clan, and Sasuke knew he had responsibilities there. The years they had worked together, Sasuke had never bothered to ask him why he felt the need to work at the police station. He, as a clan leader, should have been helping his younger relatives with mastering their techniques.

"Could...Could I ask you something, Uchiha-sama?" Chōji asked hesitantly.

"Ah," Sasuke said, used to the formality when in the police station.

"W-Why'd you choose me?" Chōji asked.

Sasuke smirked. "I trust you."

Chōji froze, looking at the Uchiha. He was positive those words were only reserved for Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke kept his gaze locked with Chōji's. When Uchiha Sasuke said something, he meant it. Chōji was the first to look away. Sasuke nodded and flipped over a piece of paper for him to sign.

"This releases my duties over to you while I'm away," Sasuke explained, shoving it toward his friend. "Try not to burn the place down."

Chōji, holding a pen, dropped it on the floor next to his jaw. He tried to pick both up. Did Uchiha Sasuke just try to joke with him?

"Heh...heh," Chōji weakly laughed. "Y-Yeah, I'll try not to do that." He swallowed nervously as he wrote his name down on the different papers. "S-So, how's Sakura doing?"

Sasuke ground his teeth. "Fine."

"Y-You know, I hear she's having lunch with the Kazekage today," Chōji stammered, trying to ease Sasuke's mood. "Ino told me."

Sasuke frowned. There went his idea to ask her out on a date. It slipped through his fingers like Gaara's damn sand. He ran his hand through his hair. Regardless, he was _going_ to take her on a date. He just had to make reservations and ask her out first.

"I-It's probably just plans for tomorrow," Chōji laughed nervously.

"Ah," Sasuke said, nodding slowly.

"Sh-She talks about you to Ino all the time," Chōji continued, sensing the cold vibes Uchiha Sasuke was throwing out. "Y-You guys must have a really good relationship."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Didn't Chōji hear about the rejection? Was he _stupid?_

"I-I mean," Chōji sputtered, "Y-You look good together."

Sasuke tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk. Yes. He supposed they did look good together.

"You're really lucky to have Sakura as a girlfriend."

Sasuke didn't bother to correct him. In fact, even if he wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to. Within five seconds of Chōji's statement, a very temperamental pregnant woman and her lazy boyfriend burst through his double doors. Sasuke looked up at Temari in mild surprise.

"Temari, calm down," Shikamaru sighed, scratching his head awkwardly as he looked at an astonished Chōji and Sasuke. "Stress isn't good for the baby."

"I can't _believe _this traitor's the one guarding _my _medic nin," Temari snapped, pointing a finger at Sasuke. "You listen here, _baka_, if you let any rogue ninjas touch her, I will _kill _you." She folded her arms angrily. "Sakura's the one delivering my baby."

Sasuke stared at her. He was about to ask her how she found out he was guarding Sakura, but he remembered her relation to the Kazekage. He frowned. He was beginning to like that family less and less.

Shikamaru sweat dropped and laid his hands on her shoulders. "They say that pregnant women are supposed to be very temperamental."

"Oh, hell no," Temari snapped, turning on her lover. "Don't blame this on my being pregnant." She glared at the Uchiha. "I moved to Konoha expecting the best medical ninja in the five great shinobi countries to deliver this thing." She motioned toward her stomach. "And damn it, she is _going_ to deliver it."

Sasuke leaned back in his chair. So _this _is what pregnant women were like...? He tilted his head. Maybe he'd wait to rebuild his clan after all...

"I mean it, Uchiha," Temari snarled, trying to get out from Shikamaru's hold. "If anything happens to her, I will kill you."

Shikamaru sighed. "You can't do that. He's the last of the Uchihas."

Temari glared at her lover. "You think I care?"

"Temari," Shikamaru yawned tiredly, "Just ask Chōji about dinner and let's go."

And just like the wind she was so fond of manipulating, her mood changed from hot to cold.

"Chōji," she said sweetly. "You're coming over to dinner later, yeah?"

Chōji, suddenly feeling like he had a bad case of whiplash, numbly nodded. "H-Hai..."

"Great!" she said excitedly. She glared at Sasuke. "_You're _not invited."

"Ch," Sasuke clicked his tongue, "I'm busy anyway."

Shikamaru scratched his chin. "Heh."

"Eh?" Chōji asked, "With what?"

Sasuke turned his head swiftly away. He didn't have to answer them.

"Oho," Temari said with a cheeky grin, "_I _know." She nudged Shikamaru playfully. "He's gonna ask Sakura on a date!"

Sasuke closed his eyes in irritation. He really shouldn't have said anything.

Shikamaru and Chōji looked at one another. Was it true? Did Uchiha Sasuke actually plan on asking Haruno Sakura on a date? Judging from the slight of his cheeks, the answer would be a definite 'yes.'

"Chōji, wrap things up for today," Sasuke said coolly, standing up from his chair and grabbing his side satchel from his desk top.

It slid against the wood until it finally fell off, banging against his hip.

"Where are you going?" Chōji asked.

Sasuke passed by a seething Temari and an equally irritated Shikamaru. He only stopped when he opened the double doors.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder. "To make reservations."

* * *

"Dōmo arigatou," Sakura said, still blushing profusely as she bowed to Gaara.

"Sakura," Gaara said with a small smile. "You have thanked me thirty six times." He took a bite of his curry. "I think the first one was good enough."

Sakura sweat dropped. "G-Gomen, it's just..." She focused her gaze on the table and tugged at her skirt nervously. "You always seem to be catching me off guard."

Gaara felt the thump in his chest and he took a deep breath. He _needed _to get a handle on things. This was the Uchiha's future bride. His job was to provide her a last resort, not try and steal her away.

"Right," Gaara said, eyeing Kankurō who stood by the door of their private room. "I have been informed that you will have three guards with you the entire time."

"Team seven," Sakura replied, taking a sip of soup. "Kakashi-sensei, Sai, and Sasuke."

It was still too hot, so she put the spoon back down.

"Ah," Gaara hummed, sipping at his tea. "Tomorrow, we will have very little chance to talk with one another alone."

Sakura nodded. With her comrades guarding her, and Gaara's duties, it would be rather difficult to meet with one another without the eyes of others.

"I mentioned before that we will have to meet at night," he said. "When we arrive at Suna in three day's time, we will need to meet in private. I'm not sure how your comrades will be guarding you, but I will be on my balcony at midnight for about an hour. Come, if you can."

Sakura smirked. Who did he think she was?

"I'm one of the legendary Sannin," Sakura said confidently, "I can sneak past three guys, no problem. Even if they _are _my friends." She held up her arm and placed her hand over her bicep to show him her physique. "I'm stronger than I look."

Gaara chuckled and held a fist to his mouth. "Ah."

"Don't laugh," Sakura playfully scolded him, wagging a finger at him. "Just because you're the Kazekage doesn't mean you get to look down on me."

Gaara smiled wholeheartedly and lowered his hand away from his face. "Ah."

Sakura took a bite of her own curry and picked at her rice. "It must be a little lonesome."

Gaara looked at the pink haired kunoichi.

"Ah, well," she said anxiously, "I mean with Temari. I know you two are close so for her to be moving to Konoha..."

Gaara relaxed. Yes. He supposed it was a bit lonely watching his sister go off to another village with a man to live a new life. He was used to seeing her every day and having her move was a big change.

"I'll take care of her though," Sakura said earnestly. "Her and the baby will be fine."

Gaara smiled. "If the Uchiha does not come to love you, I will not hold you to that promise."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Gaara-sama, with all due respect, I am a woman of my word. Regardless of what happens, I _will _take care of Temari."

Gaara raised an eyebrow. Haruno Sakura was a determined one, to say the least.

"If you live in Sunagakure," he said slowly, "You'd be willing to come back to Konoha for her?"

Sakura smiled and slid her pink in with his resting on the table. "I promised, didn't I?"

Gaara looked at the head medical ninja in a new light. While yes, Naruto had many friends, Gaara wasn't aware just how _loyal _they could be. Especially this pink haired kunoichi. Feeling the tingling sensation of their skin touching, Gaara stared at their entwined hands. No wonder Naruto harbored feelings for her in the past.

He allowed his hand to linger there, allowing Sakura to be the first to break away. And she did, eventually, after a much awkward realization that she was touching the Kazekage without permission.

"Ah, a-ano," she laughed nervously, pulling her hand away, "G-Gomen. I just—"

Gaara held up a hand for her to stop talking. "It's fine." He had no hesitation in his voice. "You are free to touch me whenever you like."

Sakura blinked and blushed as she ate some more of her curry. She was positive Gaara meant that innocently. In fact, looking at his smooth face, she was positive it was meant as an innocent remark. Still, she wished someone _else _would say that to her. More specifically, a certain Uchiha...

"Ah," Gaara said, feeling his cheeks redden, "Because you are a dear friend—"

"O-Of course," Sakura laughed uncomfortably.

They sat there, only looking at their food.

"So the progress with the Uchiha...is going well?" Gaara asked, taking a sip of his tea.

"Ah, I-I think so," Sakura replied uneasily.

Gaara noticed the quiver in her voice. His brow furrowed. They had kissed, hadn't they? Were they going out yet? He looked at Sakura.

"Are you exclusive?" Gaara asked.

His voice sounded like he was merely asking about the weather. Sakura bit her lower lip.

"I'm...not really sure," she said slowly. "I can't imagine him being intimate with another person..."

Gaara nodded. So they weren't a couple quite yet. He leaned back in his chair. That statement shouldn't have excited him. In fact, _excitement _was an emotion he normally only associated with Naruto. So why was he getting excited over Sakura's availability?

He shook his head as he folded his arms.

"No," Gaara confirmed, "I can't imagine him being intimate with another person."

Sakura nodded. She had nothing to worry about. Still though, it would be nice if they were an actual couple. Although the kissing was definitely nice, and their _intimate _moments were great, she knew they needed to lay some ground rules. Ino was right. She had been focusing way too much about trying to get Sasuke to fall in love with her and not enough on the 'now' factor.

The fact was, she had waited her life for him, and finally, they were making some sort of progress. While she was afraid to ask him to be hers, she needed to ask him. Unlike Ino, she wasn't going to wait until she was naked beneath his hot body to ask it. No, she needed to know long before then if he was just doing this to rebuild his clan or if he sincerely felt something for her.

"Oh, Gaara-sama," Sakura suddenly giggled, noticing the small bit of sauce on the corner of his lip, "You've got something..."

Gaara stared at her. What was she getting at? She laughed and leaned forward. With her thumb, she wiped off the spicy sauce and brought it to her mouth. She licked it and smiled gently at Gaara.

"Spicy," she hummed, blissfully unaware of the stare she was receiving. "But good."

Gaar, who had _never _been touched like that, swallowed. His gaze shifted over to the open door Kankurō stood in front of. It was then that he noticed a head of familiar black hair slipping out of the restaurant. He tilted his head.

What business did Uchiha Sasuke have in _Kobe?_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke lit the candles with a simple jutsu. He frowned as the dock creaked beneath him. He sighed and adjusted the food on the picnic blanket just right. He looked out at the Uchiha lake with a small smile on his face. The sun was setting and he knew Sakura would be home soon.

His original plan to make reservations at _Kobe _and then ask Sakura were completely destroyed. He had walked in that afternoon just in time to see Gaara and Sakura sharing an intimate moment. Needless to say, the host was very confused when the Uchiha just left without confirming his reservations. So Sasuke, ever the man of action he was, immediately went off to the market to buy all sorts of foods. While he was no connoisseur, he did know how to make food worthy of the queen of fist.

The Uchiha was not a romantic. He knew that from an early age when his mother had tried to explain how she and his father had met and he asked her what the point of asking her on a date was. And then when he first started talking to girls, he had too much of a brother complex to really have a first crush. And as he got older, his focus on revenge wasn't exactly something the ladies liked. He recalled Sakura's several failed attempts at getting him alone when they were genin. Of course, when he went off with Orochimaru there were only experimental freaks...And then there was Karin._  
_

Sasuke shuddered.

But Karin didn't count as a woman.

So his romantic experience was nothing. The dobe was more of a romantic than him. Sasuke ruffled his black hair. Maybe he should have asked Naruto for some advice before trying to have an outdoor picnic. What if Sakura didn't like it?

"S-Sasuke?" Sakura's voice floated to his ears. "I-I saw the light from the kitchen so I came out here..." The Uchiha turned to look at Sakura. "W-What is all this?"

Bathed in the candlelight and the setting sun, she had never looked more beautiful. His gaze softened and he motioned her to come to him. So she did. And just as she came in front of him, he poked her forehead.

"I felt like eating outside," he lied.

Sakura blushed and glanced at the candles. "W-Would you care if I joined?"

Sasuke didn't smile. But he did look at her with raised eyebrows. Of course she could join him. Who did she think this crap was for?

"Ah," Sasuke replied, sitting down on the dock and opening up the packaged dinner he had spent all afternoon preparing. "I don't care."

Sakura smiled and knelt before him. "Arigatou."

He opened the lid to the bento, ignoring her curious glances. He held out the onigiri for her to take. She did so.

"How was your day?" she asked.

"Good."

Sasuke wanted to smack his forehead. He wasn't good with talking. What was he supposed to do? This was a date, right? He glanced at her. She probably didn't even realize it was a damn date. Fuck it all...

"How was yours?" he asked.

Sakura took a bite of the onigiri. "It was good...a little hectic. I had lunch with Gaara-sama."

Sasuke tensed. "Ah."

"We talked about the trip to Sunagakure," Sakura continued.

Sasuke looked at her. He wasn't going to sit there and be jealous. That wasn't his style. He _refused_.

"You seem to be spending a lot of time with Gaara," he said slowly.

Sakura blinked. She stared at him. Noticing the slight tint of his cheeks, she was taken aback. Was the Uchiha..._jealous?_ Was this his way of telling her his feelings? Because it was definitely a crappy way of doing it. She swallowed.

"Gaara-sama...is a good friend," she started off. "But I have feelings for someone else."

Sasuke didn't need to ask her what she meant by that. He knew she loved him. With the confirmation that Gaara and Sakura were just friends, he relaxed. There was nothing to worry about.

But in Sakura's mind, worry was all she could think about. She shifted to her hip, letting her legs bend slightly against the dock. Should she ask him? She peered at his onyx eyes. She wanted to know if they were a couple. She wanted to know if this was just a 'friends with benefits' thing or an actual relationship.

"Sasuke," she muttered, placing the food in her hand down and leaning toward him. "I need to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me."

Sasuke looked at her. He gulped down the last of his onigiri and gave her his full attention.

"You asked me to rebuild your clan," she said tersely, "And recently we've gotten more..." She blushed. "_...physical _with one another."

Sasuke tilted his head. What was she getting at?

"I was wondering..."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"...are we..."

She shut her eyes tightly. She needed to push through.

Come on, Sakura. Just _ask _him already.

"_..a-are __we..._"

Her eyes shot open and she set her determined gaze on the Uchiha.

"...a couple?"

Sasuke felt his jaw drop. It could have fallen off his face, he was so shocked. Was she _stupid?_ He stared at her, wondering if she was joking. Clearly, she wasn't. The look on her face was serious.

While he considered them a couple, he had never in a million years would have guessed that Sakura didn't. And while yes, he wouldn't refer to her as his girlfriend or that they were in a relationship (labels were way too much for the Uchiha to fathom), he definitely considered them a couple. She was his partner, wasn't she?

He realized she was waiting for an answer.

So he covered his mouth to try and hide the blush on his face as he said, "Ah."

The smile that spread across her lips put the stars to shame. Sasuke averted his gaze. She was shining too brightly.

"...Then..." she pressed, looking at him with curious jade eyes, "Is this for the sake of rebuilding your clan or—?"

His lips were pressed against hers before she could finish the question. Hot passion bubbled up inside of her chest and she felt herself caving to his will. His hands around her waist tugged her into his awaiting lap. She rested with her knees on either side of him and cradled his head so he had to look up at her.

"_Baka_," he breathed into her. "Such...stupid words."

Sakura felt him bring her down on her back, careful not to lay her on the food. He kissed her mouth with such fire, she felt herself covered in smoke. She was going to be burned by him. She knew it, but it didn't matter. She would gladly walk through the flames with him. She ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him to her. Soft, lingering, and arousing, their kisses left a lasting impression. She could feel his heart beat through his chest pressed against hers. If there was any doubt in her mind, it was quickly distracted by his mouth on hers.

His hot, hungry mouth ravaged hers mercilessly, and a pale hand entwined itself in her hair, gripping the pink strands tightly, pulling her head back and exposing her smooth, slender neck. He released her red, swollen lips to pay attention to her neck, and watched lustfully as her clouded green eyes cleared slightly only to glaze away again when he attacked her pulse point. Sasuke let his tongue slide up it, feeling her shudder against him. He could not seem to get enough of her. Sasuke released his grip on her hair, letting her chin tilt down so he could take possession of her lips once again.

Sasuke hummed his approval as Sakura rubbed her tongue against his aggresively. He felt the erotic shivers that rolled down her body. They reverberated to his core in waves. Mouths still glued intensely together, Sasuke hissed again with satisfaction. He slowly pulled away, his eyes locked with hers in a passionate gaze. He pressed his forehead against hers and sighed before pulling away. He needed to calm down. Her first time would not be there.

He motioned toward the picnic.

"Come," he muttered, turning his face away from hers so she couldn't see the blush on his cheeks, "Eat."

"H-Hai," Sakura said embarrassedly.

Seeing her red face, the Uchiha grinned. "We can continue with dessert later."

Sakura looked at him, half wondering what he meant, when she suddenly saw the smirk on his face. Her eyes widened.

"O-Oh..."


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**A/N: I'm now on tumblr. Just type in 'queen of fist' and I should come up. Also, feel free to ask for writing requests on tumblr. If it catches my interest, I'll do it.**

**Oh, and there's a little shout out to one of my reviewers in this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Translations:**

**Uso-tsuki: Liar**

"Dobe, let go," Sasuke growled as the Hokage rubbed his cheek against the Uchiha's.

"Demo, _Sasuke__-teme_," Naruto sniffled, tightening the hug he had the black haired ninja trapped in. "Who am I gonna cuddle with when you're away?"

Sasuke slowly raised his fist above the beloved Hokage and then sharply brought it down. Naruto was on the ground before Sakura could blink. He glared up at the stoic Uchiha, rubbing the back of his head as he stood.

"Get yourself a damn porcupine," Sasuke snapped.

"Oh my," Sai said, covering his mouth as he watched the two interact. "That sounds a bit dirty." He turned to Sakura who was shaking her head at the pair. "Tell me, Ugly, is Sasuke into S and M relations?"

He was down on the ground with two lumps on his head.

Gaara and Kankurō looked at each other. They had spent the morning preparing to leave for Suna and had been waiting for the past half hour for Kakashi to get to the gates of Konoha. Patience was something Kankurō didn't have much of.

"Oi," he said, cleaning out his ear with his pinkie, "Where's that baka sensei of yours?"

Team seven stopped their bickering to look at Kankurō. Naruto sank into a cheesy grin while Sasuke closed his eyes and smirked. Sakura on the other hand, let out a small giggle and a blush. Sai raised his eyebrows.

"Probably lost on the path of life again," Naruto offered.

"Or hitting on Shizune," Sakura said.

"Perhaps he is performing coitus?"

"Reading old copies of Icha Icha," Sasuke hummed.

"None of those," Kakashi said cheerfully, sitting atop the gate. The younger generation looked up at him as he slide off of it and landed on his feet next to Sakura. "I was just helping an obachan—"

"Ch," Sasuke sneered as Naruto shouted, "Uso-tsuki!"

"Mou, Kaka-sensei," Sakura sighed exasperatedly, running her hand through her hair.

Kakashi laughed uncomfortably as his students looked at him with mild irritation. Things still hadn't changed even after all the years they had been together. He glanced over at Sasuke. Even with his most idiotic student leaving the village, their bonds were closer than ever.

"Matte!" a voice in the distance called. "Matte, onegai!"

Gaara stepped over near Kakashi to see who was coming. There, kicking up dirt as she ran, Yamanaka Ino was barreling through town. Sakura tilted her head.

"Ino...?"

"Forehead girl!" she yelled. "Hold up!"

Sakura sweat dropped. She couldn't even go on a mission without something falling apart in the hospital? Her fear was confirmed when she saw that one of the male nurses she was familiar with, Haruhi, was running right behind the blonde. Sakura sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. What now?

"What is it, Ino-pig?" she asked as her best friend finally stood in front of her, panting.

"T-Tell her," Ino panted, motioning for Haruhi to step forward.

He bit his lower lip and shifted his gaze. "A-Ano..."

"Come on," Ino snapped, "Out with it."

Sakura took a step forward to Haruhi. She tilted her head and let her palm rest on his shoulder. The poor guy was shaking in his boots. Whatever it was, it must have been awful.

"W-Would you take me as an apprentice?" he shouted, closing his eyes tightly. "I-I know we're about the same age, b-but—"

Sakura laughed. She couldn't help it. She had expected something to have exploded in the hospital, but here this medical ninja was asking for her help. She blushed and tucked a piece of pink hair behind her ear. Not too many nurses were brave enough to try and ask her for something. She knew Haruhi to be a shy guy, so she cut him some slack.

"If you help Ino out while I'm gone," she said with a wink, "I'll think about it."

The smile spread across his cheeks made her grin. "I will!"

"Yosh," Ino said, patting the guy on the back, "This medic wouldn't stop pestering me for the past few days to put in a good word with you."

Haruhi turned a few shades redder. "M-Mou, I-Ino-senpai..."

"Ah, stop teasing the poor guy," Naruto said, sticking out his chin.

"Hai, hai," Ino said with a shrug. "Now give me a hug forehead girl." She walked forward and yanked the pink haired kunoichi into a hug. "Come back soon."

"Ah," Sakura said, her ears tinted a deep rose color as Ino wrapped her arms around the head medical ninja. "I-Ino—"

"Just watch your back," Ino muttered into Sakura's ear, still smiling brightly to put on appearances.

"Got it," Sakura said as they released.

"And _you_," Ino said stomping up to Sai, taking hold of his ear and yanking him down to her level, "Don't you _ever _sneak out of bed like that again! What have I _told _you about kissing me before you leave for a mission?"

Sai blinked, grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her. He pulled away thoughtfully while Ino stumbled back in a daze.

"I knew I was forgetting something," he said innocently with a smile.

Sakura sweat dropped and turned to Gaara. "I think we're all ready now."

"_Finally_," Kankurō grumbled, glaring at the Ino and Kakashi. "An hour later—"

"Kankurō," Gaara chided, swiftly. He then walked up to Naruto and held up a hand. "Naruto."

The blonde idiot smacked away the hand and grabbed Gaara around the shoulders. Gaara blinked and looked at the Hokage. Realizing that he wasn't going to let go any time soon, Gaara sighed and wrapped his arms around Naruto.

"Take care of her," Naruto muttered.

"...Ah."

"This seems a little gay," Sai said slowly as the two backed away and clasped hands.

"Urusai," Naruto said, not looking away from Gaara. "Now get going. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back."

"Ch, baka," Sakura snorted, rolling her eyes. "We'll be back in two weeks."

"Send word when you get to Suna in three days," Naruto said coolly. "Any longer than that, and I'll be coming after you myself."

Sakura laughed and shook her head. "Naruto, you're the Hokage. You need to stay here and protect the village, ne?" She gave the blonde a hug. "We'll be back in two weeks. I promise."

Naruto nodded and patted her on the back. "You better."

She pulled away and grinned evilly at Haruhi. "That means _you _need to be prepared for hell when I get back."

Haruhi gulped nervously and hid behind Ino. No way was he messing with a legendary Sannin.

"Let's get going, then," Kakashi said. "Sasuke, you'll be our flank. Sai and I will stick to the sides. And Kankurō—"

"I'll lead," the puppeteer finished. He eyed Sakura and Gaara. "You two stick to the middle."

Sakura, not used to such treatment, looked to Gaara. The relaxed gaze he had was all she needed to know he had dealt with it for a long time. She nodded slowly. While she hated the idea of being protected, she could just get into a medical ninja mindset. Normally the medical ninjas were center and toward the back for the sake of the group. If she just thought of it like that, she didn't feel so...

She frowned.

Useless.

Ugh. She hated that word. But, as she looked to Gaara, she knew this is what needed to be done.

She needed to get to Suna and prepare for the worst.

* * *

"Gomenasai," Gaara said as they passed through the trees. "I realize this must be...different for you."

Sakura laughed uncomfortably, glancing back at Sasuke. "I'm used to protecting others." She shifted her gaze to the redhead. "I worked hard to be able to defend myself and others."

Gaara saw a sad look flicker in her eyes. He pushed off of a branch and kept going, side by side with the medical ninja. Yes, he remembered how she was when she was younger. If he remembered correctly, both Sasuke and Naruto tried hard to protect her from him when they were genin.

"Why did you decide to become a medical ninja?"

Sakura ducked under some leaves and flipped over yet another tree. "I was sick of watching Naruto and Sasuke protect me." She swallowed. "I wanted to become strong and Tsunade-shishou showed me the way." She smiled and motioned to the Uchiha who was watching them like a hawk. "I was always watching them from behind. I wanted them to get a good look at my back."_  
_

Gaara smiled softly. Yes, the Uchiha did have a good look at her back at the moment.

"When did you decide to become Kazekage?" Sakura asked Gaara. She smiled gently. "Naruto have an influence on you, heh?"

Gaara felt his cheeks blush. "...I wanted to be acknowledged by the village...and be a different leader than otou-san."

Sakura smiled. "And? How does it feel to have accomplished your goals?"

Gaara looked at her. "Probably the same as how you feel."

Sakura chuckled. "Ah, well...I've still got one more goal to go."

She tried to suppress her smile, watching Sasuke in the corner of her eye. Knowing full well that they wouldn't have much time to spend with each other, they spent the majority of the previous night making out. Sakura wasn't complaining. She was all for it. And as much as they both wanted to have sex, they knew deep down inside that it wasn't time yet. Besides, if Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura had sex, they would _not _be able to travel to Suna. Sakura winced. She imagined that having sex with Sasuke would leave her immobile for a while. Still though, their current intimacy was definitely something she loved and appreciated.

Gaara looked back over his shoulder at Sasuke. The Uchiha did not seem to be as upset as he was the day before. He was surprised when he saw Sasuke walk into _Kobe _while Gaara and Sakura were having lunch. He was even more surprised to see the Uchiha leave so suddenly. Well, whatever had been bothering him seemed to be out of his mind at the moment.

Gaara looked ahead to Kankurō. "We need to stop soon."

"Ah," Kankurō replied. "There's a village nearby where we can get lunch. Just about five kilometers up ahead." He grinned back at Sakura. "Think you can wait that long, Sakura?"

She grinned at him. "Ch, of course!"

Ever since she had saved his life, Kankurō had taken a liking to the pink haired kunoichi. He was more than happy to escort her to Suna along with his brother. And, since he knew a little bit about her situation, he was definitely willing to do anything for the poor woman. He could feel the Uchiha's eyes on the back of his neck. He frowned. They'd have to be careful with her in Suna.

"For your next goal," Gaara said slowly referring to an earlier part of their conversation, "I would like to help you as much as possible."

Sakura shook her head. "It's okay Gaara-sama." She smiled softly. "It's not something you can exactly help with..."

Gaara nodded slowly. He could understand that. And, truth be told, he was relieved she was rejecting his offer. First of all, he wasn't sure how good of a match maker he could make. And second of all, his developing feelings for the kunoichi made it rather difficult to assist her in the matter.

"Regardless of whether or not I can help," Gaara said truthfully, "I do hope you find your happiness."

Sakura smiled at the words of the Kazekage. "Me too, Gaara-sama."

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke stood by the door of the restaurant. He smirked and closed his eyes as he leaned against the door frame. The previous night had been fantastic. He and Sakura were together, they spent the majority of the night in one another's arms, and were on a mission together. Nothing said romance quite like holding kunai knives to an enemy's throat.

He was well aware of the villagers that walked by and pointed at him. He was a well-known Konoha shinobi and a damn good one at that. Feeling the stare of one kid was kind of ticking him off. He peeked one eye open. The kid was still there, just leaning forward and staring at him like he was a fucking piece of art. So, to get rid of him, he shot his eyes wide open and let the kid peer into his red orbs. Needless to say, the nosy child ran away as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Sasuke clicked his tongue in approval. Served him right.

Sai, who had gone in to at least grab them something to eat, walked through the entranceway and handed him some onigiri. Sai smiled politely and leaned against the other side of the doorway.

"So," the emotionless ninja started, "Gaara and Sakura seem to be close these days."

"Ah," Sasuke hummed, almost cheerfully eating away at his food.

"This does not bother you," Sai stated curiously.

"Hn," he grunted casually, bending his knee so his foot could rest on the wall behind him.

"Fascinating," Sai said, intrigued by his comrade's lack of jealousy. "So even though they're on a date right now, it doesn't bother you?"

Sasuke tried not to spit out the rice in his mouth. He glared at Sai. What the fuck? He looked past the wall, and looked through the door to get a good look at Sakura and Gaara.

"They're just eating together," Sasuke retorted as soon as he saw Sakura and Gaara sipping at their tea.

Kakashi and Kankurō sat nearby and watched the pair. Date. Ch. Like Sakura would go for someone like that...

He tilted his head back over his shoulder as he turned back to his position next to Sai. It _did_ look like they got along well. He took a mental note to make sure to have a better relationship with the Kazekage. Just because he didn't like the feeling he got from the guy, didn't mean he couldn't get along.

Sasuke glanced at Sai. Just look at that cold bastard. He had the most fake smile in the world and Sasuke got along with him just fine. So why couldn't he get along with the Kazekage? No reason. No reason at all.

"Ino is afraid Gaara-sama might be interested in Sakura," Sai said truthfully, ruffling through his back pocket. He pulled out a little red book. "It says in the 'bro code' that I am supposed to inform you of these things."

Sasuke sweat dropped. No _shit_ Gaara might be interested in Sakura. She was a strong kunoichi, a hell of a medical ninja, and she was gorgeous. Sasuke could have declared it himself._  
_

"She told me to keep an eye on her," Sai continued, "And to inform you," he rolled out a crumpled piece of paper and started to read from it, "'If you lose to the kid who plays in the sand box, I'm going to kill you.'" He looked up. "Oh, _she'll_ kill you. I won't."

Sasuke's sweat drop deepened. He couldn't believe this. Even Sakura's best friend was questioning his ability to keep their relationship going? That was pathetic. Was he seriously believed to be incapable of wooing a woman and keeping her affections? He had managed to keep Sakura's love even while betraying their village, trying to kill her, losing his mind for a while, and running around with a redheaded nut job. He wouldn't lose to the Kazekage.

He glanced back into the restaurant at Sakura's smiling face.

"Ino sees him as a threat," Sasuke half-asked.

"Ah," Sai said with a smile. "But I have full confidence in you, Sasuke." He gave the Uchiha a thumbs up, similar to the ones Naruto gave all the time. "Even if you don't have a dick!"

Sasuke sighed and shook his head. It was going to be a long two weeks with that damn idiot. He frowned and folded his arms. But on top of that, he knew Sakura and him wouldn't have much time to spend together. He shot a look at Sai. Even with Kakashi and Sai, he wouldn't be able to go anywhere with her unless it was as her bodyguard. It wasn't exactly conducive to his hopes of having a blossoming relationship with the woman.

Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair. It would be fine. Her love for him had withstood the harshness of time and betrayal. Two weeks on a mission with the sandman wouldn't kill them. He swallowed down his disappointment. As much as he wanted to continue their relationship progression, he had to get a grip. His job at that moment wasn't to be her boyfriend. It was to protect her at any cost.

"You know," Sai said, dragging Sasuke out of his thoughts, "When you think of Sakura, you get a very constipated look on your face." Sai blinked thoughtfully. "Perhaps you should look into some laxatives for it?"

Sasuke glared. "Shut it."

"Oho, how's it going out here?" Kakashi asked as he peeked his head out through the door.

"Fucking great," Sasuke muttered under his breath, still shooting daggers at Sai.

"Sasuke seems to be having issues with his bowel movements," the socially slow ninja explained. "I was just advising him to seek medical help for the matter."

Sasuke's fist went flying into Sai's face. He was seething. That _fucking _idiot. What the _hell _was his problem? He stared down at the emotionless bastard as he got up, still smiling his fake smile at the Uchiha. Fuck, it was like he was a damn sadist. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Ah, gomen, gomen," Sai said innocently, holding up his hands to show he meant no harm, "I didn't mean to expose your digestive problems."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and look at Kakashi.

"Are they nearly finished?" he grumbled in irritation.

"Hai," Sakura said cheerfully as she walked out of the restaurant.

She shot Sasuke a gentle look before walking past him. He smirked in response.

"Ah," he hummed, following her. "Let's go."

* * *

"Gomen," Gaara said as the fire crackled at his feet. "We won't be able to spend tonight at an inn."

Sakura shook her head and stretched with a yawn. "Daijoubu, Gaara-sama." She looked at Sasuke who was still leaning against a tree, staring off into the dark. "Team seven is used to roughing it in the woods."

"Normally we'd stop somewhere," Kankurō explained, leaning against the tree opposite Sasuke. "But with two of the legendary Sannin and the Kazekage to get to Suna, it's safer if we just camp out tonight."

"...But I was looking forward to the bathhouses," Kakashi sighed with the shake of his head.

Sakura shuddered.

"We'll stop at Amegakure tomorrow," Kankurō continued. He shot Kakashi a look. "You can get your bathhouse time there."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. Well, as long as he got to see some naked women...

"I'm gonna go get more firewood," Sasuke stated, eyeing Sakura. "Stay here."

She watched as he left. She frowned. It always gave her an eery feeling whenever one of her comrades went out to get firewood. In most ambush situations, the one to leave the group was the first to get killed. She shifted on the log she was sitting on. Not that Uchiha Sasuke would ever get killed by something like that. No, he was much too proud to die in such a way.

"Oh, Sakura," Kakashi said suddenly, eyeing her. "You mind if we go for a walk? I wanted to talk to you about something."

Sakura, confused, looked at her sensei curiously. "O-Oh, but Sasuke—" Kakashi gave her a look. "...Of course."

Kakashi rose, brushing the dirt from his black pants and glanced at Sai. "Stay here and guard Gaara."

"Ch," Kankurō sneered while Sakura stood. "Gaara's just fine with me as his—"

"Kankurō," Gaara scolded. He looked to Sakura, standing himself out of respect. "Please, take your time."

The pink haired kunoichi nodded and followed Kakashi away from the campfire and into the darkness of the woods. She felt twigs snap around her feet, and as her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim moonlight, she quickly hopped around the forest debris. Kakashi waited until the light from the campfire had faded from his vision to turn and look at her.

"You're going to have to _marry _him?" Kakashi hissed, his eye narrowed.

Sakura's eyes widened. She was about to ask how he knew, but she should have guessed immediately.

"Naruto..." she muttered, sighing and leaning back against the oak wood tree behind her. She let her head thunk against the bark. "Fuck..."

"What the hell happened while I was away on mission?" Kakashi asked, feeling anger bubble in his chest. "I knew he had asked you to rebuild his clan, but for the Konoha council to order you..."

"They haven't done it yet," Sakura replied, trying to keep on the positive side of things.

"Sakura, you know they're going to," Kakashi said. "You have three months, yeah?"

"Yeah," Sakura said. "Well, now about two months and a week. But who's counting?"

She let out an uneasy laugh. Her sensei was _not _amused.

"Sakura, this is _bad_," Kakashi growled. "I know you love him, but this has got to be killing you—"

"I'm fine," Sakura said sweetly, smiling up at him.

Kakashi glared at her. "That is bullshit." He sighed and shook his head. He needed to get a grip on his temper. "Look," he ran his fingers through his hair trying to find the right words, "I have always seen you guys as my kids. Hell, even Sai is the adopted freak of nature in our team." He shook his head. "I just want what's best for you all."

Sakura's smile turned genuine. "Kaka-sensei, I've grown. I've changed. I've adapted." Her green eyes darkened. "I can do this."

Kakashi looked down at her. While he had always been protective of her, he knew Sasuke and Naruto were right there with him. She was the one they always wanted to look out for. And after Sai joined, he started to develop that mentality too. After a while though, she didn't need protection. She pushed past their lines of defense and went out to attack the world with her bare hands.

Kakashi sighed. "Sakura, there's something I've got to tell you." Sakura looked up at Kakashi. "The reason why Naruto suggested the three of us to accompany you...isn't just for your protection."

Sakura stared at him.

"It's because he knew the council would never let you out of Konoha if Sasuke wasn't with you," Kakashi explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sure they're scared you're gonna try to run and they know the only one who could ever stop you is him."

Sakura's genuine smile faded. Kakashi knew. He knew all too well that if Sakura wanted to run, Naruto would never stop her. Kakashi knew he himself wouldn't stop her. But Sasuke...

She swallowed.

Sasuke would follow her to the ends of the earth if he really wanted her.

"I wouldn't blame you for running," Kakashi said slowly, folding his arms. "In fact, I'd probably even help you."

Sakura looked at him.

"Kaka-sensei," she said with a small grin, "You should know by now that I don't run away anymore."

Kakashi shifted, feeling the leaves beneath his feet crinkle at his touch. "If ever there was a case to run away, Sakura, this would be it."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not going to run."

"You have an opening right now," Kakashi pressed, "You could knock me out and run. No one would know for a good hour..."

Kakashi, seeing the determination in her eyes, backed off. He stopped talking. There wouldn't be too many chances for her to run, but he was sure as hell going to give her as many opportunities as he could. Judging from the way she was behaving, she had a plan. But something told Kakashi he wasn't going to like that plan all too much.

"I'm not going to run," she repeated, "Not from this." She clenched her fists. "Not from him."

* * *

Haruno Sakura had no idea how she wound up like this. One moment she was reading a medical book by campfire light and the next she had Uchiha Sasuke's head in her lap. He didn't even _ask,_ he just plopped his head right down on her lap and shut his eyes. When she tried to ask him what exactly was going on, he told her to shut up!

She glared down at his sleeping face. She rolled her eyes and continued reading her book. Well, whatever. That damn attractive Uchiha wasn't going to distract her from her reading.

...

Oh, but his hair was _so _soft.

She shut her book as quietly as she could and placed it down next to her. She let her back press against the tree she was leaning on. Sakura slowly ran her fingers through his sleek black hair, a hum of sleep coming from him and vibrating through her thighs. When he was asleep, he looked so innocent. So free from all of the pain from his past.

She glanced away from the sleeping angel's face and over at the knocked out Gaara, Kankurō and Kakashi. While Kakashi and Gaara slept soundly, there was something amusing about Kankurō's unconscious state. With one leg over Gaara and the other on Kakashi, he had his arms wrapped around Gaara's gourd. She raised an eyebrow. Maybe that tough guy act was just a facade.

"Ne, Sakura," Sai said as he sat and kept guard for the first watch. "How'd your date with Sasuke go last night?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow at the emotionless ninja. Date? What was he talking about?

"It must have been weird eating at _Kobe _twice in one day," Sai chuckled quietly. "Ino told me you had lunch there with Gaara. But then to have dinner there with Sasuke, seems a little much..."

"Sai," she said slowly and softly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Sai stared at her. "Didn't Sasuke take you to _Kobe?_"

"...He made himself dinner on the dock," Sakura said, feeling a blush on her cheeks. "And he let me eat with him."

Sai frowned. That didn't seem right.

"No, no," Sai said, confused, "He really wanted to take you on a date." He tilted his head. "Maybe he didn't want to admit he made you dinner." Sai nodded. "That sounds like him."

Sakura blinked and stared down at Sasuke once more. His eyes were still closed, and his breathing was even. She thumbed over his forehead. Did Sasuke really make such an extravagant dinner for her? She supposed she should have been suspicious of the candles, but with Sasuke, it was never safe to assume. She was scared to hope that he would ever do something like that for her.

"Sai," Sakura whispered, the heat from Sasuke's head sinking into her legs, "When Ino gets you presents, what kinds of things does she get you?"

"Art supplies, mostly," Sai said truthfully. "She really likes getting me paint brushes." He smiled. "That way, whenever I use them, I think of her."

Sakura frowned. With a guy like Sasuke's whose hobbies included revenge and taking walks, the only thing she could really give him as a gift was a weapon crafted by Tenten.

"What do you think would be a good gift for him?" Sakura murmured.

"Your virginity," Sai said bluntly.

Sakura glared at him. "You know, I'd smack you if Sasuke weren't sleeping in my lap right now."

Sai smiled. "That's exactly why I said it." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "I don't think it matters what gift you give him." He held up a finger to explain. "Just think carefully about it. A thoughtful present is most genuine." Sai looked at her. "Is there any particular reason you want to give him a gift?"

Sakura blushed. "Ah, well...to thank him, for letting me live with him."

Sai's eyes brightened. "Then perhaps pregnancy would be the best option."

Sakura's jade orbs narrowed into slits. "Damn it, Sai."

The emotionless ninja smiled. "Ugly."

Sakura pursed her lips tightly. He was just testing her to see how far he could push her until she woke up Sasuke. Judging from the lack of physical response on her part, she wasn't budging.

"In all seriousness," Sai said, watching as the irritation drained away from her, "Think hard about what you would like to give him. If you like, when we get to Suna, I would be willing to stroll around the market place with you." He smiled. "Perhaps we will find something there."

Sakura grinned and kissed Sasuke's temple. "That would be very nice." She looked up at Sai's face. "Arigatou, Sai."

"No problem, Ugly."


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Translations:**

**Ohisashi buri, da ne: Long time no see, right? (roughly)**

**Kingyo-sukui: Goldfish scooping**

**Honto gomen: Really sorry.**

Uchiha Sasuke felt the warmth of Sakura's body pressed against his own. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, breathing in her sweet scent. He felt the ache in his thighs from running so much the previous day. He softly groaned and tried to cuddle closer to Sakura in an attempt to go straight back to sleep, but the tense ache in his thighs refused to go away. He scratched the back of his head and yawned, silently making note to stretch a little more before they left for Sunagakure.

Hearing Sakura's pur of approval at his attempt at snuggling, Sasuke smirked and felt her head rest in the nook between his shoulder and neck. He stroked her lean, but muscular arms tenderly. Judging from the way that one of his comrades was cooking, it would be only a matter of time before she woke up. He peeked an eye open, eyeing the rising sun with mild irritation. He closed his eyes again. He was going to appreciate this moment they had.

"I've never seen them like this," he heard Kakashi whisper.

Sasuke tried not to show that he was wide awake. He wanted to know if Gaara was watching...

"Interesting," he heard Gaara say.

Sasuke felt Uchiha pride well up in his chest. Hell yeah. No way was he losing to the Kazekage. He shifted closer to Sakura, letting his nose press against the top of her head. Whatever feelings Gaara had, Sasuke was ready to show him that Sakura's feelings for him were unshakable. No way was he letting anything come between them.

No sandman was going to get in the way of his relationship. Ch.

"Seems a little gay, doesn't it?" Kankurō asked as he scratched the back of his head.

_Gay?_

Sasuke's brow furrowed, but his eyes were still closed.

"Ne, minna-san!" Sasuke heard Sakura call, "Breakfast is ready!"

Sasuke's eyes shot wide open. Beside him, Sai was sprawled across the forest floor. He was sleeping soundly, his body spooning his protectively; an arm snaked around his waist and a heavy thigh draped over his legs. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

"I was wondering when he was going to realize..." Kakashi sighed, shaking his head at his students.

"_**Katon Gōkakyū No Jutsu!**_" Sasuke screamed, setting Sai's ass on fire.

In the next five minutes, Sakura had managed to douse Sai with water, Sasuke was held back by Kankurō and Kakashi, and Gaara was sipping at tea. Once Sasuke had finally managed to calm down from his rage, the group of ninja sat around the campfire, eating wild rice and the fish Sakura had caught early that morning.

"Sasuke," Sai started apologetically as Sakura applied cream to his burn marks, "I just thought that since you and Naruto cuddle so much, I needed to experience that bond of friendship as well."

Sakura giggled, looking between the two men. Sasuke, hearing her laughter, grew even more agitated. Great. Embarrassed in front of Sakura and the damn Kazekage. Things couldn't get much worse than that.

"Truth be told, you are _quite _the cuddler," Sai continued, ignorant of the dark aura surrounding the Uchiha. "Not that there is anything wrong with that."

"Shut it," Sasuke growled, digging into the rice with his chopsticks.

Sai sweat dropped. He had to admit, he felt bad that he had snuck into Sasuke's embrace when Sakura woke up, but he wasn't going to feel bad for the fact that he thought they got closer. Sasuke couldn't hold it against him, really. Sai was a little jealous of Naruto and Sasuke's friendship and sometimes felt like he had to compete.

He frowned. "Do you not like me?"

Sasuke glared at his teammate. He didn't have to grace that stupid question with an answer.

Sasuke shifted on the log he was sitting on, his feet firmly planted in the moist dirt. He looked down at the soft ground and narrowed his eyes. The moist ground was a sign they were coming close to Amegakure. As much of a twisted past the village had, it was surprisingly doing well now that Naruto was Hokage. He took his promise with Pain seriously and watched over it carefully.

Sasuke sighed, feeling Sai's eyes on him. "I like you."

Kankurō raised an eyebrow and grinned. "A confession?" He looked at Sakura. "Better watch out."

Sasuke ignored him and continued eating his breakfast. "You're irritating." He glanced at Sai. "But I don't hate you."

Sai, feeling that they had gotten a little closer, let a genuine smile spread across his face. "Does that mean we can cuddle more often?"

Sasuke's moment of kindness was ruined. "_No._"

Sai frowned. "But I would like to kiss you."

Sakura, Kakashi, Kankurō, and Gaara stopped eating to look at the emotionless ninja. Sasuke, however, was grinding his teeth. Would the stupidity never stop with this one?

"What the _hell?_" Kankurō spat, choking on a small fish bone. "Fuck, we should've left Sai in Konoha."

"You and Naruto have exchanged saliva," Sai pressed adamantly. "I believe we too can have an unbreakable bond if we kiss and—"

Sasuke promptly set his plate down beside him, stood and started walking away. "Let's go."

Sai blinked. "N-Now? You wish to kiss me now?"

Sasuke turned to glare at the dark haired ninja. "_No_, I mean, 'let's get the fuck out of here.'" He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "We should get to Amegakure in about eight hours."

Sai paused. "...I'm confused. Do you want to kiss now or later?"

"Urusai!" Sasuke called over his shoulder as he walked away.

"Is this something he only likes to do with Naruto?" Sai asked with a frown. "I'd like to get closer..."

Sai scratched his head while Sakura and Kankurō laughed. Kakashi watched Sasuke's back with mild amusement. The lightheartedness of his voice was something he wasn't used to hearing. He put down his own breakfast and stood to get ready for the day.

Maybe Sakura could make this work after all.

* * *

"Are they always that close?" Gaara asked hesitantly as he leaped by Sakura's side. "Naruto and Sasuke, I mean."

Sakura laughed awkwardly. She could feel the seething Uchiha behind her. He must have been so pissed from that morning. Suddenly waking up next to Sai mustn't have been all that great. Especially with Kankurō making gay jokes all morning. Sakura frowned.

"No," Sakura replied, getting good footing on a branch before leaping off to the next. "Naruto just tends to sneak into his bed when Hinata's not around."

Gaara nodded. He shifted the weight of his gourd on his back. "And are you and Sasuke...always that close?"

Sakura nearly slipped and fell. She turned her trip into a flip and continued after pressing off of a tree trunk. She looked at Gaara. She swallowed and blushed, averting her gaze elsewhere.

"Ah, a-ano," she stammered, scratching her cheek. "W-We're still trying to figure things out. We just started dating so..."

So no.

Gaara kept his gaze on the pink haired kunoichi. He felt his heart pound a little harder, and it wasn't because they were flying through the trees. He wasn't used to such emotion. The kunoichi didn't seem to have that much of an impact on him when they were younger, so why now? He looked back a pissed of Sasuke. Why did his chest hurt when he looked at Sakura and Sasuke?

Gaara had decided long ago that feelings, regardless of what they were, needed to be expressed and embraced. His new purpose in life was to understand relationships and build on his emotions. Whatever he felt for Sakura, Gaara needed to decide what to do quickly. Not only did they have a short amount of time together, but Gaara couldn't stand watching the two Sannin interact.

"I see," Gaara said slowly.

"H-How about you?" Sakura asked, trying to get off the subject of her and Sasuke. "Any women you're interested in?"

Gaara stared at her.

Sakura sweat dropped.

Right. Never mind.

"A-Ano," Sakura laughed uneasily. "A-Are you looking forward to returning to Sunagakure?"

Gaara nodded. "Ah. Matsuri will be happy."

Sakura chuckled softly. Matsuri, the ninja afraid of weapons, and Gaara's prized pupil. Now _there _was an unrequited love. Sakura really felt for the poor woman. If only the redhead could see...

She glanced back at Sasuke. It took that blockhead forever. And she had been at it longer than Matsuri. She silently vowed to speak with the woman when they arrived at Sunagakure.

Sakura felt something narrowly miss her neck, taking out her communicator and sending it straight for the ground. She leaped back.

"Watch it!" Sasuke shouted, mangekyō sharingan fully activated, "We're being ambushed!"

Sakura and Gaara split away from one another, both landing safely in the trees as shuriken rain came down on where they once were. Sakura narrowed her eyes and held up a kunai. They were approaching Amegakure quickly...

"Kakashi," Sasuke ordered through his communicator, "Do you read me?"

"Hai," Kakashi murmured, keeping low behind the bush.

"Sai," Sasuke commanded.

"Yo," he responded coolly, back against a tree trunk as he looked over his shoulder.

Kankurō and Gaara, however, were separated from the group. Sakura frowned. This was bad. She couldn't see her teammates anywhere, and the rain of shuriken had grazed her communicator, so _that _was out. Still, Sakura would wait for Sasuke's order. While Kankurō was busy with Gaara, she knew Sasuke had a plan. And if he didn't, Kakashi sure as hell better have one.

So Sakura pressed herself against the tree, waiting for the enemy to pursue them. She felt movement behind her, and prepared herself for a roundhouse kick. Crouching low, she leaped into the air, spinning for momentum and powered chakra into the ball of her foot. She shoved her flexed toes right into the enemy's gut, eyes widening as she did so.

The water clone fell before her.

"Matte," she said loudly, "Matte!"

Sasuke, hearing her voice, tensed. He didn't know what the hell was going on, but he didn't like it. He flew down from the tree he had been perched in and rushed to her side. He caught a branch with his fingers, swung his body upward and flipped once before landing in front of her. He quickly took her in. No bruises. No scratches. No blood. No fear. Seeing that she was perfectly fine, he curtly nodded at her and met her gaze.

"Sasuke," she said, disbelief on her face, "They're not our enemy. They're—"

"Not your enemy?" a male voice asked. "They're underestimating us."

"We won't be beaten again," another said from the dark of the forest, "Even if you have two of the legendary Sannin and the Kazekage with you."

Sakura smirked, despite the situation. "Then show yourselves, and let's get this over with."

Sasuke, who never really understood Sakura and Naruto's adamancy of provoking the enemy, raised an eyebrow. Still, their enemies did as she asked, and all three of the Amegakure shinobi showed themselves from the trees above. Sasuke's eyes widened in familiarity, not in fear.

"Oboro," Sakura said, looking at each ninja in turn, "Mubi, and Kagari."

Sasuke was impressed. While he had recognized them from the Chūnin exams, he hadn't bothered to recall their names. Yes, those were the Amegakure ninja who had attempted (and failed) to get their scrolls.

Sasuke smirked. "Ohisashi buri, da ne?"

Mubi glared at Oboro. "Don't make declarations of war on the legendary Sannin and the Kazekage. You don't want another war to break out, do you?"

Oboro, begrudgingly, folded his arms and frowned at the pink haired kunoichi. "Gomen." He averted his gaze. "I just wanted to see if you remembered us."

Sakura smiled at Mubi. "Arigatou."

"Ah," Mubi said in response as Gaara and Kankurō came out.

Kankurō, clearly irritated, glared at the shinobi. "Fuck you all."

"Kankurō," Gaara scolded. He approached Sakura's side and properly faced team Oboro. "While I can understand your desire for acknowledgement, I do not believe violence is the best way." His eyes flickered with amusement. "Sakura seemed to remember you all just fine without the unnecessary fighting."

The medic nin smiled cheerfully. "Ne, why don't you join us? We're headed for Amegakure."

While Kagari and Oboro wildly protested, Mubi shook his head. "We're headed east. We've got a mission to fulfill."

Sakura nodded. "Then good luck." She tilted her head back at Oboro. "Gomen. For back then."

Oboro didn't have to ask what she meant by those words. He sneered and rolled his eyes. "Of course I was beaten by you all." He smirked behind his mask. "The legendary Sannin. Who could possibly defeat you?"

* * *

_Who could possibly defeat you?_

Sakura frowned as she undressed herself in the women's changing room. They had finally gotten to Amegakure after a wrong turn on Kankurō's part and much irritation on Sasuke's. Kakashi hinted when they entered Amegakure at wanting to stop in the bathhouses. So, after much insisting, they all went to the bathhouse.

Once they arrived, the owners had long since heard of their arrival and pulled out the closed sign so the legendary Sannin and Kazekage could have some privacy. Being one of the leaders of peace had its perks now and again, Sakura had to admit. But it came with a heavy burden. Everyone expected her to be...perfect.

She sighed and ripped off her shirt, throwing it in the locker. She then slinked off her skirt and lacy underwear and did the same. She slammed the locker door with a sigh.

_Of course I was beaten by you all._

She bit her lower lip and grabbed her robe. It wasn't like she was immortal. She slid open the door to the women's bath and stepped outside. She was strong to protect her village. She was strong to prove to herself and everyone else that she had changed. Sakura slowly sank in the warm water, her towel long forgotten on the floor. Without anyone there, there was no need to cover herself.

She dunked under the water and let the warm sensation flood over her face. She rose to the surface, slicking her wet hair back in the process. She opened her eyes.

And screamed.

"What the _hell _Sasuke?" she squeaked, swiftly taking cover behind a rock. "This is the _women's _bath."

Sasuke, who luckily had a towel wrapped around his waist, rolled his eyes at her antics. "Someone has to guard you."

Sakura glared at him.

Sasuke sighed. "It was either me or Kakashi."

Sakura suddenly found herself a little more forgiving. He started to make his way into the bath, but she held up her hands to stop him.

"I-I'm not wearing anything," she blurted out, her face red from embarrassment.

Sasuke eyed her through the steam with amusement. He glanced down at the white towel in a heap on the floor. Of course he was a gentleman. He stooped to scoop it up and threw it over his shoulder. He then slowly walked down the wet steps and into the hot bath water. He held out his hand and motioned for her to come as he stopped in the shallow end.

"If you want this," he said, his tone cool, "You're going to have to come and get it."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest. There was no way. No _way _she was going to get close to him when she was naked. They were still in the process of getting used to kissing and dealing with their urges, they weren't ready for...

Sakura huffed. She'd rather pass out from heat exhaustion than have Sasuke see her like that.

"If you faint from the heat," Sasuke said, as though reading her thoughts, "I'm going to have to come over there anyway."

Sakura shut her eyes tightly. Well, fuck! She glared at him over her shoulder. She didn't need this. She was tired and cranky from traveling all day. The last thing Sakura wanted to deal with was a sadistic Uchiha.

"F-Fine," she said reluctantly, "J-Just turn around."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow but did as she asked. He let out an exhale of impatience. So what if she was naked? He smirked, hearing her wade close to him. She was like a damn fish from that kingyo-sukui game, Gaara and he had played at the festival. He had to be careful not to be too rough or else the paddle would break. He had to be fast or else the fish would see his hand coming.

So as Sakura slowly emerged from the water, her chest fully exposed in the shallow end and water dripping from her nipples, he waited carefully for her to try and take the towel from over his shoulder. He felt her trembling, wet fingers grip the white material, and then he struck. With one swift movement, his lips caught hers, briefly looking into his prey's panicked eyes as he did so. He let his right hand entwine itself in her hair to prevent her from pulling away, and wrapped his other around her waist. He felt her flesh against his skin, feeling her moan into his mouth as she shivered erotically.

Heat rushed and pulled at her lower abdomen. Sakura had forgotten the number one shinobi rule: never be caught unaware. By the time she realized what was happening, Sasuke had snatched her in his arms. She moaned in his throat, her hands sliding up his wet back and behind his neck to latch themselves deeply into his silky black hair. He felt her nipples pucker against his chest and his member grew hard against her smooth thigh.

He still couldn't get enough of her though. He still couldn't get as near to her as he wanted. The hand at her hip slid to the back of her knee and he easily lifted her leg to hook it against his waist. She could feel him now, all right. His hard, thick cock throbbed against her stomach and she felt a primitive urge shake her to the core. He drew her closer to him, if even possible.

"Sasuke-kun," she panted, as he parted with her lips to lift her up and pay more attention to her delectable breasts.

"If you don't like it, say so," Sasuke growled unapologetically, "Otherwise, I'm going to continue." He nipped at the porcelain skin, pressing his cheek against the tender mounds of flesh. "Sakura..."

He let her slide back down, her chest touching every bit of his neck, shoulders, arms and torso in the process until they were intimately wrapped together once more. She withdrew from him, and he followed, backing her into a corner in the process. He looked at her, waiting for her to protest. She held one hand to her lips, the other around her torso. But still, she did not protest.

He leaned forward, letting her back into the rock she had hidden behind before he let his mouth cover hers. He felt her responses, passionate and flowing through him, begging for control. She was not one to be dominated for long. He smirked against her lips. She wanted control? Then fine. She would _have _control. He backed away, satisfied with the glossy gaze of hers as he did so. The trance did not last long.

She brought her lips to his ear. A small, pink tongue flicked out and teased the tip. Sasuke smirked, forcing himself to keep still when all he wanted to do was drown her in passion. Her teeth grazed his lobe as she gently nibbled it. Release. And then, a hot wet tongue tracing little patterns over it. Her red cheek, pressed lightly against his own, jostled slightly with the movements of her head.

Sakura began to pull away, but only got so far as to let Sasuke have full access to her lips. He never wanted her to stop. Sakura grinned against his mouth. Is this what having complete control over an Uchiha felt like? Well, Sakura liked it. She quickly pushed him away and slid herself onto the rock, embarrassment gone and a lust for power in its place.

She crossed her legs, letting Sasuke take all of her glory in. She stared down at him with one brow arched. She smirked. Ino was right. Being naked in front of him would come with time. Who knew all it took was a bathhouse to get her out of her shell? So she sat atop the rock like the queen she was and stared down at her loyal avenger.

Sasuke looked up at her, a cocky grin on his face. "Sakura...heh."

He took her thighs and pulled her closer to him, yanking her legs apart in the process. Her eyes widened in surprise. Sasuke looked up at her, making sure that this is what she wanted. She swallowed and bent her head slightly down.

He had her permission.

Sasuke placed his hands on her hips and forced her legs wider. Sakura tried not to show how nervous she was, but Sasuke could feel the pounding of her heart through her skin. He stared at her pink lips, ready to take them for his own. He slowly brought his mouth to her entrance and—

"Coitus!"

"Eek!" Sakura screamed as she flung herself back into the bath water, kicking Sasuke in the face as she did so.

"Oh my," Sai said as he stood at the entranceway, "I was just coming to check on you two...I didn't mean to—"_  
_

"No, no!" Sakura squealed, yanking the towel that had long been forgotten and was floating away from her. "Y-You're fine." She shot a glare at him. "You didn't _see _anything, did you?"

Sai looked thoughtful. "Not if you didn't want me to."

"You _did?_" Sasuke hissed, covering his bloody nose with one hand and his sharingan blasting.

Sai smiled.

"_**SHANNARO!**_"

* * *

"I can't _believe_ you," Sasuke hissed in Sai's ear as they stood outside of Sakura's bedroom at the hotel they were staying at. "Baka!"

He was pissed. He was _enraged._ He had _finally _gotten that beautiful medical ninja to give herself to him and Sai just _had _to walk in on it. The hell _was _this shit? Was there a committee he wasn't aware of? The 'Cock Block' committee? What was Sai? Was he the fucking head of it with Naruto as second in command?

"Gomenasai," Sai said for the millionth time, "H-Honto gomen." He closed his eyes and bowed deeply to the Uchiha. "I didn't realize you two were going to perform coitus in such an area. I didn't think—"

"That's right," Sasuke snarled quietly, making sure his voice was low so Sakura wouldn't wake up, "You _didn't _think."

Sai felt bad. He _really _did feel bad. He sighed and stared at the ground. Another friendship screw up with Sasuke. Sometimes he felt like all of his efforts were wasted. Still though, looking at the seething Uchiha, he'd keep trying. He really did want to have a better relationship with the former traitor.

"Sasuke," Sai said slowly, trying to make amends. "If...If Sakura were to give you something..." He shifted his gaze away and shuffled his feet. "What would you like?"

Sasuke glared at him. He opened his mouth to sarcastically say, 'coitus,' but stopped himself when he saw the genuine look in Sai's eyes. He let out a deep sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Anything," he replied, "As long as it's from her."

Sai tilted his head back against the doorway and nodded. He figured as much. He smiled gently at the Uchiha.

"You love her, don't you?" Sai asked, all tease out of his tone.

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Ah."

Sai frowned. "Then why can't you say it?"

Sasuke sighed and shook his head. "Because if I do..." He clenched his fists. "...I'm going to lose her."

Sai's brow furrowed. That did not make sense to him. Love, as he read from books, was something to bring people together, not tear them apart. He looked at Sasuke curiously.

"Why would you think that?" Sai asked.

"The last people I told I loved them died in front of my eyes," Sasuke said darkly.

Sai swallowed. The dark past he knew of was coming out of Sasuke like a toxin. It seeped from his pores and down to the ground, dripping with regret and pain. Sai stared at the Uchiha, surprised at the disclosure of such a horrible childhood.

"Why...are you telling me this?" Sai asked.

Sasuke smirked. He peeked one eye open. "Because you're annoying."

Sai was further confused. Was this a form of teasing he wasn't aware of? He tilted his head to look at the legendary Sannin. Sai was used to his outright teasing, but this...he felt his heart beat faster. This was something deeper. The warmth that spread through his chest was one that he wasn't familiar with.

His eyes widened. He pressed two fingers to his pulse and pressed his hand to his reddening face.

Oh no.

"Sasuke," Sai said abruptly, his face beat red, "Aishiteru!"

The Uchiha nearly fell down. What the _hell?_ He glared at the emotionless ninja.

"I-I think I am in love with you," Sai said worriedly, panicking, "But I have already proposed to Ino and—" He gasped, trying to breathe. "What are we going to do?"

Sasuke slammed his fist into Sai's head. "_Brotherly_ love." He turned his head away stubbornly. "_That's_ what you're feeling, _baka_."

Sai rubbed his temple as he stood once again. "B-Brotherly love?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He wasn't one to speak about brotherly love, what with having killed his own oni-san. But still...

"Ah," he replied casually. "It's the same feeling I get whenever I look at Naruto."

Sai blinked. His gaze softened. So the bond he had with Sasuke was strengthening. The fluttering of his heart was his excitement of being accepted by such a person. While his original intrigue was due to Naruto, this new interest came entirely from the Uchiha himself. Sai smiled at Sasuke.

"...So you really _are _gay for each other."

* * *

"Shimatta," Sakura cursed, wiping away the cold sweat from her forehead. "I thought I stopped _having _these nightmares."

She sighed and ran her fingers through her damp hair. The tears in her eyes were still on her face, and her heart felt like it was trying to make a break for it out of her ribcage. She curled up on her bed and sighed.

It was always the same damn dream over and _over _again. It was like a bad film that played on television and someone had accidentally pressed repeat. The night Sasuke abandoned the village...abandoned her. She sighed and shook her head. What person does that? You get a love confession and all you can say is, "Arigatou" and knock her out? No wonder she was so traumatized.

The worst, though, was when she had dreams of Sasuke coming back when he was away with Orochimaru and team taka. She used to wake up from those with hope in her eyes only to have them crushed when she was met with the stillness of the night. Nothing said pain quite like crushed dreams. She winced and inhaled deeply.

She was a big girl now. She could handle this. She laid her head back down on her pillow, trying to slow her breathing. She was going to be fine. She was going to be okay. Sasuke had returned to the village and he wasn't going to leave. They were in a relationship now and that was good enough for her.

She frowned.

Or was it? She ruffled her pink locks tiredly and threw her pillow up in the air before letting it fall flat on her face. She inhaled before turning back on her stomach and bringing the pillow with her. She laid her cheek against it and hummed thoughtfully.

While yes, it was like a dream come true to be in a relationship with Sasuke, she still had so many questions to ask him. When did he start liking her back? Why did he ask her to rebuild his clan? She clutched the pillow closer to her chest. Why, after never responding to her feelings, was he now making an effort?

She sighed and flopped on her side, yanking the sheets closer to her as the night air chilled her to the core. Sakura shut her eyes tightly, letting the tears slide out of the corners and onto the sheets. Even with the knowledge of having Sasuke stand guard just outside of her door, it felt like he was miles away. She shivered and wiped away her tears with her thumb.

She needed to keep getting closer to him. She needed to push past her fear of losing him. He wasn't going anywhere. He wasn't going to leave her again. Sakura pressed her forehead to the soft, sinking pillow and exhaled. But she needed to hear those words from him. She needed him to reassure her that he was never going to leave her side again.

She needed him to love her.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: This chapter has been the hardest to write because the hardest characters for me to write are all inside of it. Thus, the delay. But no worries, it's posted now, so I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Sai wasn't one to get impatient. In fact, he rarely ever got angry at all. But when his plans to force Sasuke and Sakura to depend on each other were thwarted, he couldn't help his angry mood. Thus far, his scheming had brought him nothing but irritation. During lunch, he set a log up to come swinging at Sakura so Sasuke would have to rescue her. By the time Sasuke even realized that there _was _a trap, Sakura had already held up her fist and watched in amusement as the wood broke off into tiny splinters at the touch of her knuckles. When running, Sai had tried to trip Sakura by using fine wire, but the person she fell into wasn't Sasuke, as he had hoped, but rather the Kazekage. And when all else failed, Sai used his artwork to try and force them together. Snakes, mice, and hawks did _nothing_. Not even the tiniest peep from Sakura.

So now, as they stood in front of a waterfall, the last chance at a cool down they would have before entering the hot desert, Sai eyed Sakura warily as she took off her shirt and set it down, wearing nothing more than spandex shorts and a white sports bra. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and looked at the pool excitedly.

"Sai," Kakashi said slowly as he came up from behind the younger shinobi. "What are you planning?"

Sai smiled at Kakashi. "Just taking our mission seriously, Kakashi-senpai."

"You're the one that set off the traps, weren't you?" he asked dryly.

Sai tilted his head innocently. "Sasuke already figured that they were careless traps left by previous ninja."

Kakashi nodded slowly. "Ah, that's what he thinks..." He looked at Sai. "...but I know that fake smile all too well. So what're you planning?"

Sai continued to smile at Kakashi.

"Just taking our mission seriously," Sai repeated.

Kakashi narrowed his one eye, but didn't press any further. They would need to have a private talk, just the two of them, to discuss a plan to get Sakura and Sasuke closer throughout this mission. Despite his irritation toward the matter, Kakashi knew this mission was important. He glanced over at the pink haired kunoichi. This mission was _very _important.

Sakura, who had waited long enough, waded into the pool of water. She sighed happily, dunking her head back under, blissfully unaware of the stares she was receiving from Gaara and Sasuke. Sasuke, who was raising an eyebrow at her behavior, briefly wondered if her lack of humility had anything to do with being on a team with only men for so long. He liked her confidence, though. He sighed and ripped off his own shirt to join her, tossing it near the Kazekage's feet.

Gaara glanced down at the blue shirt. He watched as Sasuke made his way into the water, keeping a close distance between himself and Sakura. He watched as they exchanged words. Sakura's relaxed smile did not falter.

He looked to Kankurō.

"Go on," Kankurō snorted knowingly, folding his arms over his chest. "We have some time before we need to get going again."

Gaara, with the encouragement of his brother, ripped off his red tunic and removed his black shirt. His armor of sand slowly crumbled away to the forest floor. In bits and pieces it fell, leaving Gaara fully exposed.

He inhaled slowly. The Kazekage walked over Sasuke's clothing and took a step into the water. He smiled as the cool sensation washed over his feet, and the muddy sand sank between his toes. He didn't stop moving until the water was to his waist. And then, mimicking Sakura's previous movements, dunked his head under the refreshing water. He sighed as he came to the surface, letting the cold liquid enter his mouth slightly.

"Gaara-sama!" Sakura said excitedly, making her way over to him.

Gaara peeked open an eye to look at the pink haired kunoichi. "Ah."

"It's so refreshing," she breathed. "Ne?"

Gaara curtly nodded. "It's nice to have a break from the heat."

Sakura laughed and flopped on her back to float, looking up to the bright blue sky as she drifted. Sasuke watched her with mild amusement, until he noticed something. There, puckering up at the center of her breasts, were two light pink nipples. Sasuke's jaw tensed and he glanced at Gaara to see if the Kazekage had noticed.

He had.

Sasuke's grip tightened as he saw Gaara's eyes on her chest before swiftly looking away, the light pink tint to his cheeks almost unseen. Almost. If it weren't for the observant Uchiha, it would have been completely ignored. Sasuke sighed and made his way back to shore.

Damn it all.

Every step he took, he silently cursed the pink haired kunoichi. Sai and Kakashi, however, were already on their way into the pool. Sasuke passed by his two comrades without a word, picking up his blue shirt and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Would you like to partake in some water activities, Sasuke?" Sai asked politely dipping his toes in. "I hear that wrestling with one another shirtless is a good way to bond—"

"Urusai," Sasuke growled as he made his way back in the water.

He watched as Sakura basked in the cool water, the clear liquid sliding down her abs as she rose to the surface time and time again. Her breasts moved with the thrust of her body as she came up for air. The next time she rose to the surface, blue flooded her vision and Sasuke's hand pressed hard on her head. She peeked out from under the shirt and looked up at him. He refused to look at her.

"Put it on," he ordered.

Sakura blinked in confusion. "But it'll get all wet."

Sasuke looked at her coolly. He didn't like to repeat himself.

So she slowly took the material and threw it over herself. The pink haired kunoichi frowned and glared at him as she peeked her head through the hole. Sakura was about to ask why he wanted her to wear it, but Sasuke was already making his way out of the pool. She tilted her head in confusion as Sasuke walked up to Kankurō and took a place next to him in the shade.

She blinked when he folded his arms.

What in the world had gotten into him?

* * *

"Gomen," Gaara said as they hid in the cave from the sandstorm. "I realize you all must be getting restless."

Sakura laughed uneasily, her soft voice echoing in the cave. She glanced at Sasuke who watched the sandstorm tirelessly and glanced over at Sai who sat beside her.

"I-It's fine, Gaara-sama," Sakura said anxiously. "It's not your fault the weather is like this."

Gaara nodded at her and slowly sank to the ground beside her. "I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to come visit Sunagakure." He bent his leg so he could lean on his knee. "I know it must be difficult to do so, as the head medical ninja of Konoha."

Sakura shook her head. "Anything to help further the medical practices in your village, Gaara-sama." She smiled cheerfully and motioned toward Kankurō. "Plus it's an excellent excuse to visit with you two some more."

Sasuke clenched his jaw tightly, watching the sandstorm move violently.

"Arigatou," Gaara said, bending his head slightly toward her. He looked up at his brother. "Come, Kankurō, sit."

His brother and bodyguard clicked his tongue impatiently before falling to the ground on his ass and folding his arms. Gaara and the others may have been patient, but _he _sure as hell wasn't. He just wanted to get back home and start working on his puppets again. Sakura smiled at him and he turned his face away quickly, hiding the blush covering his cheeks. He had to admit, she was pretty.

"Kaka-sensei?" Sakura asked nicely, motioning for him to join them.

Her sensei shrugged and sat down in front of them. He glanced up at Sasuke who wasn't moving from that spot near the cave entrance. He slowly exhaled. Maybe melting that cold heart of his was still going to be trouble for Sakura. He looked to Sai. Their eyes met. Kakashi knew Sai had the same train of thought as he. Their mission was going to be...quite impossible.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, looking at the avenger.

She sweat dropped when he didn't budge.

"Don't mind him, Kazekage-sama," Sai said sweetly, "Even after all these years, we're still trying to find the kunai that was shoved up his ass."

Kankurō snorted. "Good luck there."

Gaara ignored their antics and stared at the Uchiha's back. Yes, it was true that Sasuke seemed to have a bit of an attitude. It was understandable, however, considering the amount of pain he had dealt with throughout the years. Gaara's gaze softened and he silently hoped that Sasuke would be able to move past his anger and hatred. Even after all these years, Sasuke still had difficulty dealing with his rage.

"Gaara-sama?" Sakura asked, her shoulder accidentally brushing against his.

The touch shocked him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her.

"Ah, gomen," he said. "I was distracted."

Sakura smiled gently. "Excited to get home?"

Gaara's eyes softened at the corners. "Ah." He leaned against the cave wall. "It's always a nice feeling to come home."

Sakura nodded. "I get the same way after a mission." She chuckled. "Naruto always waits at the gate for me the day I arrive." She brought her knees to her chest and clutched them tightly. "He'll probably do it this time too."

Gaara had to agree with her on that. Naruto had always been a very doting friend. Even though he and Gaara rarely got to "hang out," he was quickly getting used to Naruto's actions. He treated every friend as a member of his family, and Gaara was quick to adapt. He had the same mentality. The same idea. Since he didn't have much of a family growing up, everyone he met and befriended became his family. It was no wonder he was excited to get back to Suna…he had a whole village of family members waiting for him.

"He must be a bit lonely," Sakura said, her eyes turning downward. "Hinata's away on a mission and team seven is here..." She tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll get him a gift from Suna." She glanced at Gaara. "Wanna help me pick something out?"

Gaara stared at her in wonder. Even after all this time, he still hadn't gotten used to the idea of others wanting to be around him. Unable to find the right words, he simply nodded.

"Ch," Sasuke hissed, watching the sand blow in the wind.

This would set them back at most a few days. Sasuke glanced back at Gaara and Sakura's smiling faces. He didn't want to be stuck in a damn cave for that long.

* * *

"Hokage-sama," Shiho said as she entered his office.

"Shiho," Naruto said to acknowledge her.

He, who had been busy flipping through some previous missions, shut them closed. The Hokage sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly before letting out a large yawn. He'd been at it all day. He looked up at the blonde. She held a flimsy piece of paper in her hand.

"It's from Hinata-sama," she said nervously, adjusting her glasses.

Naruto was in front of her in a flash. He leaned forward to snatch the piece of paper from her. He glanced down at the ineligible writing. It was, indeed, his beloved bride's writing. He looked back up at Shiho for more details.

"So?" he prodded impatiently.

"Th-They're going to need some more time," she said, watching the wheels turn in Naruto's head. "I-It seems that there are four rogue ninja involved in stealing the medicine."

Naruto frowned at the scribbles. "Do they need back up?"

He paused. He didn't want to have to send _them _unless it was absolutely necessary. He grimaced. _They _were a last resort.

"No," Shiho confirmed. "They're just trying to infiltrate the hideout. It's a little more complicated than they had originally thought."

Naruto nodded. "Ah."

He clutched the piece of paper tightly. He missed his wife. He knew this mission was important, and that she was one of team eight, but sometimes he just wished he could lock her up and keep her by his side forever. For being the Hokage, Naruto certainly felt powerless sometimes. But he looked at Shiho, loneliness ebbing away from his eyes. He was strong on his own. And he knew Hinata was as well.

"They'll contact us in the next week," Shiho continued. "If they need back up, they will call for it."

Naruto nodded slowly. He didn't like it one bit, but he would be patient. Team eight was strong enough to handle whatever was thrown at them. He grinned. _Hinata_ was strong enough to handle whatever came her way. They wouldn't be so easily beaten by rogue ninja.

Naruto swallowed. "Arigatou." He winked at her. "Keep this a secret, ne?" He shivered. "I'd hate to think what Sakura would do to me if she knew her medical supplies had been taken by rogue ninja..."

Shiho sweat dropped. Yes, that medical ninja's temper was something to see...

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

* * *

"Gaara-sama!" the village children squealed as the redhead walked down the streets of Sunagakure.

Sakura laughed as a child tried to grab hold of her leg in order to get at the Kazekage. The child seemed to dig his nails straight into her thigh, making Sakura grimace. Sasuke promptly grabbed the kid by the scruff and dropped him away with a glare to keep him back. Gaara, however, smiled gently at each of the children and lowered himself to their level.

"How was Konoha?" a little girl asked, her bright blue eyes shimmering up at him.

"Fun," Gaara said thoughtfully.

"When I'm older I want to be like Gaara-sama," a boy said excitedly. "I want to see all kinds of places! _And_ I'll be the Kazekage!"

Gaara smiled gently and patted the kid on the head. "Who knows?"

"Who's the pretty pink haired lady?" another child asked, tugging at Gaara's tunic.

"Baka, that's Sakura-sama!" one said, smacking the other upside the head. "She's the lady who heals the boo-boos."

"And gives the shots!" the black haired child squealed in fear.

Sakura scratched the back of her head as the children continued to gather around them. It was like a sea of little kids pushing and pulling at their legs. She glanced back at Kakashi and Sai for help, but they were too busy watching on with amusement to be much help to her. She looked to Sasuke before shooting her gaze back down to the Kazekage. Sakura sighed. She was stuck.

"Gaara-sama!" the shrill voices of women called.

Sakura's ears perked up and she squinted at the growing dust coming at them. There, in the distance, were two shinobi Sakura was familiar with. She smiled brightly and held up a hand to wave.

"Matsuri-san!" she called as she waved, "Sari-san! Konnichiwa!"

"Ah!" Matsuri said, pushing past her dark haired best friend to get at the edge of the circle of children around the famous pair, "Sakura-sama!"

"Gaara-sama!" Sari squealed, trying to climb over the crowd of children, "You must be so tired! Please feel free to lean on me for support—"

She was elbowed in the gut by her best friend.

"You can lean on _me _for support," Matsuri said adamantly, glaring at Sari.

Sakura sweat dropped. Somehow this situation felt very...familiar.

If she remembered correctly, her and Ino seemed to be that straightforward when it came to Sasuke. She scratched her cheek bashfully. It felt a little embarrassing to think back on those days. She had been completely obsessed. But when she found out about the true extent of his pain, her love for him matured and grew.

She watched as Matsuri and Sari tried to push one another out of the way. She did want to talk to the poor girl about her unrequited love...but maybe she could talk some sense into her too. She looked down at the redhead who was seemingly oblivious to their advances. Sakura was silently grateful for that. Being head over heels infatuated with someone wasn't exactly something to be proud of.

She looked back at the brooding Uchiha and shuddered. She was lucky to have matured throughout the years. Even though her advances were straightforward with him, they weren't as...

She saw Sari push Matsuri to the ground and step on her back. Sakura winced.

...Childish.

"Sakura-sama," a child said, tugging at Sakura's skirt and pulling the medical ninja's attention away from the quarreling women, "I have a scratch on my knee."

Sakura, always compassionate, knelt down in front of the small child, ignorant of the Kazekage's gaze. "Ne, chibi-chan, what's your name?"

The girl blushed and tucked a piece of brown hair behind her ear. "Aki."

"Well, Aki-chan," Sakura said, lifting a glowing green hand to the child's bloody knee, "It doesn't seem that deep." She looked at the child with mischief in her eyes. "How'd you get the cut?"

Aki frowned and looked at a boy standing at the back of the crowd of children. Noticing the stares from both Sakura and Aki, the boy blushed and started to run away. Sakura chuckled and lightly flicked Aki's head with her finger once she had finished healing the child.

"Hurry up and get strong," Sakura said, patting her own bicep. "Then you can protect yourself and the ones you love."

Aki, still blushing, nodded obediently and looked up at Sakura in amazement.

Gaara had silently watched as Sakura dealt with Aki. To his knowledge, the kid had been getting bullied by another child. He made a mental note to speak with the sensei at the shinobi school and have it dealt with appropriately. He knew all too well the harsh reality of being mocked by others.

"You know, I used to be bullied quite a lot when I was your age," Sakura continued.

Aki shook her head. There was no way the legendary Sannin could have been made fun of and beat up when she was a kid.

"It's true," Sakura laughed, pointing to her head, "Kids used to make fun of me all the time for having a wide forehead." Her eyebrow twitched at the memory and she felt fire inside of her. "But you know what I did?" She grabbed Aki's hand and pressed her fingers to the byakugou no in on her forehead. "I turned it into my greatest weapon."

After much gushing on Aki's part, the child went off to go find her parents and beg them to teach her martial arts. Sakura chuckled as the kid kicked up dirt and ran through the village.

"You seem to be quite good with children," Gaara said quietly as he stood.

Sakura shook her head and laughed awkwardly. "A-Actually, back home, all of the children run away from me." She scratched her chin nervously. "I think it's because I have to give them shots."

Sai, who finally made his way through the gathered children, looked at Sakura. "Oh, really?" He pondered for a moment. "I always thought it was because of your raging temper and massive strength, Ugly."

Sakura swiftly smacked him on the back of his head.

Gaara, entertained, smiled as they made their way past the crowd of children toward Matsuri and Sari. As difficult as it was to get past the excited kids, Sakura and Gaara managed to do it. Kakashi and Sasuke trailed along the outside of the crowd, keeping one eye on Sakura the entire time. Despite being well within the village walls, their mission wasn't over until they had arrived safely back in Konoha.

"I hope your travels weren't too much of a hassel, Gaara-sama," Matsuri said, her cheeks reddening as the Kazekage approached.

"They were fine," Gaara said, glancing at Sakura who stood slightly behind him, "The company was good."

Sakura looked around, taking note of the villagers' smiles. She still couldn't believe the change in the sand village even after all these years. When she was just a genin, Suna had been filled with fear and loathing. Now...looking at their hopeful and trustworthy faces, it was completely different. She took in Gaara from the back and nodded. Naruto truly did have a gift with others. He changed Gaara so much, and in turn, Gaara changed Suna.

"Then I will leave Sakura to you," Gaara said to Matsuri and Sari, finishing their conversation up. "Escort her to her room and make sure that she and her comrades are comfortable." He looked to the pink haired kunoichi. "I will not be joining you for dinner. I have a meeting to attend."

Sakura frowned. "...Then you'll be eating dinner by yourself?"

She often hated that notion. The idea of eating alone just wasn't something she liked.

"I will eat with Kankurō," Gaara said, motioning to his brother.

Sakura nodded. That was a relief. Ever since Naruto and her had gotten close, she had insisted that they eat at least some of their meals together. She knew how lonely it made Naruto feel at times before he had Hinata, and she wasn't about to let Gaara do that when she was there.

"Then I will be off," Gaara said with a nod. He gave a meaningful look to Sakura. "I hope you enjoy tonight."

Sakura, noticing the glint in his eyes, nodded. "I will. Arigatou."

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Kakashi asked incredulously, looking at Sai as they sat in their room late at night. "All of those stupid traps...You _really_ thought they were going to work?"

Sai smiled, shifting on his mattress uncomfortably. "I read from Ino's romance books that coincidences such as those seem to work on main characters in a story."

Kakashi sighed. Amateurs. Both Naruto and Sai were _total_ amateurs. For being the grandson of Jiraiya, Naruto seriously didn't know how to deal with romance. He was lucky Hinata was so active in getting their relationship to work otherwise it _never _would have happened.

And Sai...

Kakashi watched as the emotionally slow ninja flipped through his books to try and find ways to bring the two legendary Sannin together.

...Sai was just...

He sweat dropped when Sai showed him a picture of two naked lovers entwined in a passionated position.

"Look," Kakashi said. "We're going to have to try other tactics to get the two of them together." He paused, glancing at the cover of the book. "Is that Ai to Sekkusu?" As Sai nodded, Kakashi shook his head. "Point is, we need another tactic. The good news is, our job is to guard Sakura. Since I am the captain of this mission with Sasuke as my second in command, we can plan out the most opportune times for them to be together."

Kakashi frowned. This meant he was going to have to have Sakura tell him her planned out schedule. He could explain that he needs a detailed agenda to secure her safety. He tilted his head. That could work. Sasuke would have more opportunities to be with Sakura that way.

"We need to get them alone together," Kakashi said, "And we need to make Sasuke look like a romantic."

Sai looked at Kakashi. "Getting them alone together shouldn't be a problem..." He shut his book firmly and placed it back in his bag. "Making Sasuke look like a romantic..."

There was a sudden heavy air that weighed on them. Sai didn't have to say the words, but this was going to be _very _difficult.

"He admitted to loving her," Sai said slowly, trying to push through the thick atmosphere.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "When did he say it?"

"Well, he didn't _say _it," Sai replied. "I asked him if he loved her, and he just sort of said, 'ah,' in agreement."

Kakashi sighed and ruffled his white hair with his fingers. "That's more progress than we could have hoped for. At least he's finally admitting he loves her." He pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his tired eyes. "But this is taking too damn long."

Sai thought for a moment. "I hear that jealousy brings out one's emotions nicely."

Kakashi shifted on his bed, crossing his legs so he could properly face Sai. "_Jealousy._" He shook his head. "The only person he's ever been jealous of is Naruto. And that has long since died down to a healthy competition." He tilted his head and laughed. "Or at least one that isn't going to get the two of them killed."

Sai had to agree. Even with his prodding about Gaara and Sakura getting close, the Uchiha did not seem phased. He seemed confident in Sakura's love for him. Which, truthfully, he very well should have been. That love for him was unshakable, even through his destructive and vengeful ways, Sakura loved him wholeheartedly.

"No," Kakashi said thoughtfully, "We need something that is going to _force _them together to talk things out."

His one good eye widened.

"Sai," he said, looking to the former Root ninja, "I need you to get your hands on something..."

* * *

Sakura's eyes shot wide open. It was nearing midnight and she knew Sasuke would switch with either Sai or Kakashi in the next few minutes. She could feel the eyes of his snakes on her, watching her in the dark, wary of her every move. There were three on the ground and four by the window. They started to make their way toward the door, and Sakura finally found her chance.

Creating a clone, she hid under the sheets for about five seconds. _There._ She ripped off the blankets, placed them back over her clone, ran for the window, grabbed the sill, and swung herself upward, feet first. She ran as fast as she could up the Kazekage's building. As she flipped over the balcony, she landed swiftly on her feet before rolling downward into further darkness, away from the moonlight.

"Sakura," Gaara said, coming from the shadows and looking down at her, "I'm glad you could make it."

"We have two hours," Sakura said, still crouched low. "I don't know who's guarding me, but they'll switch in the next two hours." She pressed a finger to the communication device attached to her ear. "My clone will give me the signal when they're about ready."

Gaara nodded. "Then let us not waste a moment of your time." He glanced around. "...Let us retire to my room."

Sakura looked up at him. They didn't say it, but they both knew they were too exposed on the roof of the Kazekage's building. They needed to be somewhere safe, where no one would bother to drop in on them.

She took a deep breath before running swiftly toward the door. She swung it open silently and waited for Gaara. He made his way after her, shutting the door once he reached her side. Wordlessly they walked down the stairs and into the dimly lit hallway. Gaara eyed Kankurō trustfully as they entered the Kazekage's chambers. Kankurō nodded and leaned against the wall. He knew what was going on.

And he knew what to do if anyone found out Sakura was there.

Sakura heard the door shut behind her, and looked down at the Kazekage's bed with wary eyes. She had only been in two men's bedrooms. The first of which was Naruto's. Often times, when they had missions back in the day, she or Sasuke would have to drag his ass out of bed. The second of which was Sasuke's. She blushed. She was _very _well acquainted with his bedroom.

"Forgive me," Gaara said, motioning for her to sit on the edge of his bed. "I don't have any other furniture for you to sit on..." He set his gaze on her. "You seem worried."

Sakura bit her lower lip. "What if someone catches us?"

She didn't want there to be a big misunderstanding. If Sasuke ever found out...

Gaara looked at her. "It's a risk."

He held out his hand. Sakura swallowed nervously before taking it and sitting down next to Gaara at the foot of his bed.

So what if someone found them together? Sasuke should have enough faith in her to know she would never betray his trust like that.

A determined Sakura looked at him. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Uchiha Sasuke watched curiously as Sakura bent to bow before the grave she stood in front of. Kakashi looked on knowingly, while Sai watched with just as much curiosity as the Uchiha. They had left the Kazekage's building very early in the morning, when the light was just starting to turn the sand to gold. Now, standing in front of the tombstone, Sakura knelt carefully down on her knees, her head bent.

She clutched her skirt with trembling fingers. Even after all this time, she still felt so much pain and sorrow for the grandmother who had to kill her own grandson. She swallowed as the tears fell. This woman, although she did not know her well, gave up her life for Sakura's and Gaara's. Sakura tenderly wiped away the tears from her eyes, choking them back as she ran her fingers along the carvings.

"Whose grave is that?" Sai asked quietly.

Sasuke didn't shift his gaze. He watched as Sakura's shoulders shook.

"Chiyo-baasama," Kakashi said, taking his hands from his pockets and clasping them together out of respect. "She's the one who saved Gaara's life." He closed his eye. "She fought in battle side by side with Sakura to defeat Sasori...her grandson."

Sasuke watched as Sakura used the back of her hand to cover her mouth. Even with the muffle, her sobs were heard loud and clear.

"She...sounds so sad," Sai said, feeling distraught about his friend's despair. "Did they know each other for a long time?"

Kakashi looked at the younger ninja. "They didn't have to." He smiled behind his mask. "They were comrades."

Sasuke wasn't sure who this woman was that Sakura was crying for, but he didn't like seeing her in pain. When he had returned to Konoha, Naruto and Sai had let him know exactly how much pain he had caused the pink haired kunoichi. The blonde demanded a smile for every tear he had caused her. Sasuke just thought he was exaggerating. And now, he was witnessing just a small glimpse of her distress. Who knows how many nights she had cried for him just like she was for Chiyo-baasama? The idea unsettled him.

Sakura took a deep breath and tried to cease her crying. It was no use. The pain of loss and the respect she had for the woman was too much for her to keep inside. She heard footsteps behind team seven, and she immediately reached for her kunai. She swerved around, ready to kill whoever was intruding on her time with Chiyo-baasama. To her surprise though, Gaara stood with a small cactus plant, Kankurō eyeing her warily. Tear-stained and on guard, Gaara thought she never looked quite so beautiful.

"I'm a bit surprised to see you up so early," he said, looking from Sakura to the grave she stood in front of. "I hope you don't mind." He smiled sadly and held up the plant. "I'm here to pay my respects."

Sakura dragged her feet together and put the kunai away. "Gaara-sama." She bowed. "Gomenasai."

Gaara stared at her before walking past Sasuke. He went to her side and laid his hand on her shoulder, her torso still bent downward. She opened her eyes in surprise and straightened up, looking at Gaara. He smiled gently.

"Let's pay our respects together," Gaara said kindly.

Sakura, cheeks and eyes still wet from crying, broke out into a gorgeous smile. "Hai, Gaara-sama."

The knelt together, pressing their heads to the ground in utmost respect. And the pair sat side by side silently for a few moments. But then, Sakura began to speak.

"Obaasama," Sakura started off softly. So softly, only Gaara could hear her. "You'd be so proud of Naruto. He's become Hokage and has helped maintain peace between Sunagakure and Konohagakure." She smiled gently, her fingers once again tracing over the carvings of the tomb. "Gaara-sama is continuing commander in chief of the Shinobi Alliance, and still is the Kazekage." She didn't bother to look at him as she continued. "He's touched so many people with his kind heart...something he would not have been able to do without you."

Gaara closed his eyes. Her voice was unwavering.

"This time, I have brought Uchiha Sasuke with me," Sakura whispered. She smiled. "The one I was searching for, remember?" She shut her eyes to block out the left over tears. "He came back to the village."

Sakura inhaled and shook her head. She shut her eyes tightly to hold back the tears. Yes, Haruno Sakura was a very compassionate woman.

"_And Sakura,"_ Chiyo-baasama had said, "_Next time, save the people who are dear to you, not some old hag. You and I are very similar. There aren't many girls as chivalrous as you around. You might become a kunoichi who surpasses her master._"

Sakura grinned and wiped away the tears. "I've surpassed Tsunade-shishou as you predicted." She chuckled. "I've even treated her, much to her chagrin."

Gaara could hear the crack in her voice. Even after all this time, she still had tears to shed. So as she pressed on, Gaara laid the potted cactus next to the tomb. He was slightly amused by this. Seeing as they were in the desert, not too many plants could flourish very well. But cacti persevered. Their stubborn personalities and spiky exteriors made living in the desert easier. He glanced at Sakura. They were built to endure.

"Arigatou, Chiyo-baasama," Sakura whispered, releasing her fingers from the grave and touching them to her lips.

Gaara, aware of Sakura having finished her respects, closed his eyes and bowed his head. He felt Kankurō's presence behind them. He knew the puppeteer, although silent, was properly paying his respects. And even though Sai and Sasuke had never met the woman, he could feel their sense of seriousness emanating from their bodies.

Gaara wasn't one for words like the pink haired kunoichi, but even still...

"Arigatou," he murmured, "Chiyo-baasama."

And the two remained in silence, side by side, for a long time.

* * *

"You understand what needs to be found," Kakashi said quietly.

"Hai," Sai whispered, sketchpad in hand as he ran his paintbrush along the page.

"Then you understand this needs to be done without anyone's knowledge," Kakashi pressed on, kneeling on the balcony floor of the Kazekage's building.

Sai finished the tail of the rat he was drawing. "Of course."

"And you know, that no matter what happens," Kakashi continued, "Sasuke will _never _find out this was our doing."

"Hai," Sai stated firmly.

He released his rats down the side of the building. They scaled down the wall, their tiny feet pattering along the side as quietly as possible. No squeaks were heard. They slipped silently into the Kazekage's office, squeezing in the cracks of the window and down the wall to the ground. There, they divided themselves. Some took to the bookshelves, nuzzling their noses through the pages, others slipped through the cracks in the Kazekage's desk. They crawled along the floor, bellies pressing against the wood as they squeezed under the tables. Mounting the shelves, they climbed the pillars as swiftly as possible, their long, black tails swishing with every step.

Sai closed his eyes in concentration. They weren't finding what he needed...

"Hayaku," Kakashi muttered, keeping an eye out, and trying not to appear suspicious to the villagers below. "We don't know how long we have until Gaara gets back from lunch."

Sai opened his eyes as one of his rats fell into a long cylinder, ruffling looped papers in the process. Its beady little eyes scaled over the mountainous pictures and pressed further, shuffling through the unwanted items.

"I found it," Sai said confidently as the rats joined in a unified effort to drag the map out without sinking their teeth into it.

They didn't want any rips or tears to ruin it.

"Good," Kakashi replied. "Now copy it so we can get out of here." He glanced at the sky. "It's almost time for me to switch with Sasuke."

They had, after all, agreed on different shifts to watch over Sakura. And knowing the Uchiha, he was raring to get out of that damn hospital and stretch his legs out.

"Ah," Sai grunted, closing his eyes in concentration.

Two of the rats spread themselves over the map. Every inch was covered in black until the rats had managed to get the layout of the land. Their blotches trembled, making sure that they had every detail memorized, and then contracted, pulling back to their original selves. With their furry little paws, they rolled the map back up and slowly pushed it in the container once more.

They scurried up the wall and out the window, scratching at the sand beneath their claws. The rats clambered up over the balcony rail and back onto Sai's pages. The two rats that had copied the desired map, spread out over another, larger blank paper. They stayed in place as Kakashi's one good eye ran over it.

"This is excellent," he muttered, rubbing his chin beneath his mask, "With this we'll be able to—"

"You know," Kankurō interrupted, looking at the pair from behind. Gaara was by his side with folded arms, "You could've just walked in Gaara's office and grabbed it." He rolled his eyes. "Sai already got his permission this morning."

Gaara stared at the two ninja. He tilted his head in amusement. He and his brother had arrived just as Sai had let his rats pour over the edge of the balcony, and watched on as the two made complete fools of themselves. Yes, Sai had gotten his full permission to go into his office at any time and pull out the map they so desired.

Kakashi blinked and looked at Sai, sweat dropping. "You got their permission?" He frowned. "Why are we bothering with all this, then?"

Sai smiled. "I thought that it would be more fun."

Kakashi fell over. This really was too much...

* * *

"Mou, _Sai_," Sakura complained, holding up a mask in front of her pouting face, "I don't know what to get him!"

Sai blinked at the cat mask and shook his head. "I do not believe Sasuke is into cosplay."

Sakura frowned and threw the wooden mask back in the bin where she had found it.

After they had finished paying their respects to the grave, Gaara and Kankurō left for some paper work, and Kakashi was on 'break.' That meant Kakashi was reading porn. The Uchiha, however, was patrolling the village, and taking in the full view of Suna. Or sipping tea. Either way, he was out of Sakura's hair for the time being.

Sakura was currently on an hour break from the hospital. She had learned quite a bit from the medical ninja there. She mainly focused on the herbs that could be naturally found in Suna. Surprisingly, there were more than she had originally studied. Needless to say, she had memorized them all and was very proud to put that knowledge to good use.

"How about this?" Sai asked cheerfully, picking up an interesting looking feather. "Feathers are very nice gifts."

Sakura frowned and placed a hand on her hip. "Why in the world would I get him a feather, Sai?"

Sai smiled and lifted a single finger. "Because it's erotic."

Sakura's palm was across his face faster than he could react. She exhaled sharply and took in a deep breath.

"Any _other _suggestions would be warmly welcomed," she growled.

Sai tilted his head thoughtfully. "I don't think it matters what you get him." He recalled Sasuke's words from the night before. "Anything you give him, he'll accept."

Sakura shook her head. "I don't want to just get him anything. I want to get him something..." She eyed the stands skeptically. "...great. Something that shows my gratitude."

Sai held up a spatula.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "A spatula?" She shook her head. "It doesn't exactly scream, 'Arigatou.'" She yanked the kitchen tool out of his hands and placed it down. "He already has one at home for cooking."

Sai tilted his head in confusion. "Who said anything about cooking?"

Sakura's face turned pink and she immediately smacked Sai's other cheek. Fuck, was Sai _trying _to drive her mind straight into the gutter? She glared at him as they walked down the market place. She was determined to get a gift for him. Something that would be meaningful.

"Sakura-sama," Matsuri said, coming up from behind her, holding a pair of pants. "Would Sasuke-sama be interested in clothing?"

Sakura smiled at the guide assigned to her for her stay at Suna. She shook her head politely.

"No, he's got a bunch of shirts and pants at home," she said absentmindedly. "And I don't think lime green is his color…"

Matsuri frowned and placed it back where she found it. "He doesn't seem like a materialistic guy..."

Sakura bit her lower lip. It was true. Sasuke definitely wasn't into gifts. She remembered the last time Naruto had tried to celebrate his birthday. She winced and recalled how the surprise party was quickly ended with the blade of Sasuke's sword. Surprise parties and ninja didn't exactly mix well. Luckily he didn't destroy all of the gifts and most of the party-goers were uninjured. For those who did attain fatal wounds, Sakura got to them on time to heal them while the birthday boy gave Naruto an earful. Needless to say, Sasuke was not happy.

She shook her head. "We need to find him something he'll really like." She rubbed her arm anxiously. "Something he'll use."

Sai pulled out a condom from his pocket and held it up.

Sakura smacked the idiot one more time. "Not _that, _baka!"

Sai frowned. Clearly they weren't getting anywhere with this. Even as Matsuri came back time and time again, trying to impress Sakura with some material or other, their ideas for gifts were running out. Sai frowned. Ideas weren't the only thing they were running out of. They had spent the previous forty five minutes trying to find the Uchiha something and only had fifteen minutes to get back to the hospital.

"Perhaps we should try again tomorrow?" Sai encouraged.

Matsuri sighed, breathless and panting from hauling all kinds of trinkets back and forth to Sakura. "Yeah. Let's go with that."

Sakura frowned. She really had tried to find him something. But with each passing moment, she was scared she wasn't going to find something to give him. She ran her hands through her hair and ruffled the pink strands. There had to be _something _he wanted.

"Fuck," Sakura cursed angrily, stomping her foot and making a crack in the ground. "Of all guys, I have to love the one who's hardest to shop for." She glared at Sai. "We're coming back tomorrow."

He sweat dropped. "O-Of course."

She glanced at Matsuri. "Gomen. This is probably the last thing you want to be doing."

Matsuri laughed nervously and scratched her cheek. "A-Ah, no. It's fine. Gaara-sama is busy and I have nothing better to do…" She noticed the pink haired kunoichi's look and immediately backtracked. "I-It's part of my mission!"

Sakura smiled. She definitely wanted to talk to the ninja in private. But...

She glanced at Sai.

…Not in front of a guy. Girl talk was something to be done in private. She bit her cheek. She'd have to make it so her and Matsuri could have some time alone.

"Then, tomorrow," Sakura said slowly, the wheels turning in her head. "You'll come shopping with me again?"

Matsuri gave Sakura a wink. "Of course!"

Sakura giggled. "Then it's a date!"

* * *

Sasuke never really liked hospitals. He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with the gazes of adoring nurses and the receptionist on him. The only time he really went to the hospital was if he was severely injured. Sakura normally had to chase him down for his yearly shots.

He had been there for the past two hours, and he was itching to leave. He glanced up at the ceiling, silently cursing Kakashi and Sai. They left with the excuse of needing to 'run the perimeters.' It was also known as, 'strolling around the village.' It was fine by him. However, this was his second shift of watching over Sakura—or rather, _attempting _to.

You see, Sakura really wasn't a fan of having her comrades' faces pressed against the operating room's window and really didn't like the idea of having them impatiently waiting in the hallway. So after much insisting on her part, Sasuke, Sai, and Kakashi agreed that they would keep an eye out for her from the waiting area when it was their turn to guard.

Sasuke frowned as one of the women giggled. Didn't they have work to do? But then, hearing familiar light footsteps dragging down the hall, Sasuke raised his head to watch Sakura come into the waiting area. She sighed tiredly and glanced at the swarm of women. She glared.

"So _this _is where you all have been," she snapped. "No wonder the hospital was understaffed today." She narrowed her eyes. "I'm too tired to deal with you all, but get back to your stations." When the group of ten or so women didn't budge, Sakura's eyes twitched. "_Immediately_."

She raised her eyebrows as they passed by her, taking note of the two men who were blushing and looking back at Sasuke with lustful eyes. Sakura shook her head. With Sasuke around, getting things done was hopeless. She yawned and stretched daintily before walking over to her bodyguard of a lover.

She leaned down to look at him and smiled cheerfully. "Ready to go?"

Sasuke looked at her exhausted state and frowned. He decided not to say anything about it. If she wanted help from him, she would ask for it. He stood and nodded.

"Ah," he hummed.

She tilted her head back and pressed a finger to her cheek thoughtfully. "Where do you want to go for dinner?"

Sasuke found that question to be quite amusing. Judging from her tired eyes, anywhere they went, she would fall asleep in her food almost immediately. Somehow the idea of Sakura snoring in her miso soup didn't seem very appealing to the Uchiha.

So he replied with, "The Kazekage's."

Sakura bit her lower lip. She wasn't really in the mood to cook anything. She was kind of hoping for something that didn't take a lot of effort.

Sasuke, noticing her hesitancy, said, "I'll cook."

And that's how Sakura found herself walking side by side, hand in hand, while they made their way back to the Kazekage's.

Sasuke glanced around at the villagers. She was mildly impressed. Sakura had thought that while he was assigned to her as her bodyguard, there would be no time to be alone. Imagine her luck. No Kakashi or Sai to be found anywhere. So she hummed happily as their feet padded against the hard sand.

"Arigatou, Sasuke," she said with a smile.

"Ah," Sasuke replied, eyeing the houses and watching as concerned parents called their child in, once they laid their eyes on him. He supposed in some places he was still considered a traitor. He glanced back at her, noticing that her head was resting on his left arm a bit. "How was your day?"

Sakura yawned, "Good. I focused a lot on Chiyo-baasama's work." She lifted her head to look at him under the slowly sinking sun. "She really was brilliant."

Sasuke nodded. He tilted his head down at her. "Tell me about her."

Sakura blinked in surprise. She stared at the ground in bemusement. Why was he interested in knowing about the elderly woman? Still though, it was conversation, and Sakura enjoyed talking with him.

"She was...a little cranky," Sakura chuckled, "But surprisingly good-hearted and wise." She blushed as she felt Sasuke's warm hand against her own. "She was very sweet." She smiled. "Definitely a warm hearted woman. But stubborn, at times. Very stubborn."

Sasuke swallowed. "...Uruchi-oba-san."

Sakura felt Sasuke's muscles tense under her fingers. She blinked and looked up at him. There was a nostalgic look in his eyes as they walked down the road. She knew not to say anything. Whatever he was saying, was clearly something he needed to say on his own without any extra prying from her. So she let the cool, evening air brush over her and she took a slow, deep breath.

"Uruchi-oba-san," Sasuke said calmly, "Was one of the Uchiha elders." He kept his gaze straight. "She sounds...very similar to this Chiyo-baasama."

Sakura smiled. "Did she smell good?"

Sasuke, surprised by her question, raised an eyebrow.

Sakura smiled and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "Oba-sans always smell good." She breathed in his husky scent. "Always smell of of something baking."

Sasuke paused. He let their feet fall in sync with one another as the village was basked in an orangish red color. Almost like the flames of the sun were touching the sand. He gripped her hand tightly.

"Senbei," Sasuke said.

Sakura's brow furrowed. "Senbei?"

"Ah," Sasuke confirmed with a small grin. "She smelled of senbei. Teyaki-oji-san and oba-san were always making senbei." He tilted his head back. "They were very secretive of the recipe though."

Sakura nodded. She remembered how famous the senbei were from _Uchiha Senbei._ It was no wonder Teyaki guarded that recipe so much. So many people tried to get their hands on it. She could still taste the salty sweetness from them. Her parents had brought her there once, back when she was young, and before she had met Sasuke.

"She must have been a wonderful woman," Sakura said quietly.

"Ah," Sasuke confirmed.

"And Teyaki-oji-san must have been great as well," she continued.

"Hn," he hummed softly. "Back when I was trying hard to catch up with Itachi-oni-san, Teyaki-oji-san was the only one to really encourage me to break off and become a great shinobi on my own."

He clenched his jaw tightly to keep himself from talking further. He did still question whether or not he was a great shinobi. He had betrayed the village, betrayed his friends, and betrayed the dream Itachi had left behind…He was a traitor, through and through. Granted, he did see the error of his ways and repented for it. He swallowed. But did that really constitute as being a great shinobi?

"Then he must be proud," Sakura said, cutting through his thoughts of worthlessness with her kindness. "Because you are a _great_ shinobi."

Hearing Sakura say that, made Sasuke's chest well up with pride. Finally. He had waited five years for her to say that. He was no longer the cowardly boy she once knew back in the Chūnin exams. He was a warrior, built and made to protect those he loved with all of his might. He shifted his gaze away from hers.

"Arigatou," Sasuke muttered, his cheeks turning red.

As they approached the Kazekage's building, a calm silence fell between them. Sakura felt even just a little bit closer to the stoic Uchiha. And as he laid a sweet, simple kiss on her lips before they went inside, she couldn't help but notice the smile on his face.


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"I apologize," Gaara said as he sipped his morning tea. "We didn't get to see each other much yesterday." He looked at Sakura, who sat across from him. "Is everything to your liking?"

Sakura blushed and nodded. "H-Hai, Gaara-sama."

She took a bite of her omelet and glanced over at Sasuke. He had a steaming cup of tea in front of him as well. He didn't seem very pleased…what with Kankurō standing behind him and glaring at his back. He had refused to sit down next to the traitor. Of course he would never admit it out loud with Gaara sitting right there, but he didn't have to say anything. Everyone already knew what he was thinking loud and clear.

Beside the Uchiha was Kakashi who didn't look like he was fully awake and had a book resting on the table. Something told the pink haired kunoichi that her old sensei had spent the majority of the time he had been guarding her the previous night with that book wide open. Her eyes trailed down the tattered pages. She sighed. That was all the confirmation she needed.

Sai, however, was smiling as usual.

Sakura sweat dropped. Quite the interesting lot she had in front of her…

"D-Did you sleep well, Gaara-sama?" Sakura pressed, struggling to keep some form of morning conversation going.

Gaara shot his gaze at her over his mug. "Ah." He took a gulp of tea. "I did."

Sakura chewed on green pepper. "Do you have a very busy day ahead of you, Gaara-sama?"

Gaara, not used to having such morning conversation, looked at her in satisfaction. It was a nice change to his morning routine, having the pink haired medical ninja there. He had gotten so used to Temari and Kankurō ushering him quickly out of the kitchen time and time again to get on his day to day obligations. It was moments like these he truly treasured. He was usually rather busy with all of the paperwork and negotiations he had to deal with on a regular basis. He leaned forward on the table a little and hid his smile with his cup. He was going to enjoy this moment as much as possible.

"Ah," Gaara confirmed.

"But it's nothing out of the ordinary," Kankurō said confidently, leaning against the doorway and looking down at Sasuke. "Gaara's used to the duties of the Kazekage."

Gaara kept eating. He wasn't exactly good with praise, having never gotten much of it growing up.

Sakura, though, folded her arms and nodded in agreement with Kankurō. "He is an excellent Kazekage."

Gaara swallowed. He was grateful for the shield of sand covering his skin. If he didn't have that, she would have seen the blush on his cheeks.

Sasuke, ever watchful, noticed. He immediately set down his tea. His fingers gripped the mug. He didn't care that Gaara had feelings for her. The thing that irritated him was his partner's oblivious behavior toward the matter. He looked between the two. Didn't she notice Gaara's longing gaze?

Sasuke glanced at Kankurō. Heh. So he wasn't the only one who noticed. The puppeteer was smiling slightly, watching the pair interact. Maybe his brother could talk some sense into him. After all, the medical ninja was with an Uchiha. She was untouchable.

"I imagine you are just as busy," Gaara stated, his eyes never leaving Sakura's. "Has the Sunagakure hospital been welcoming to you?"

Sakura laughed. "Hai, hai!" She shifted her gaze away and took a sip of water. "I'm learning a lot. I found some of Chiyo-baasama's old papers and works in the private section there."

Kakashi's one good eye narrowed. That seemed odd to him. Even as peaceful as Konoha and Suna were, would the Kazekage really let an outsider look at those documents? With access to the private section, she could flip through shelves of history and look for new poisons Tsunade-sama hadn't even thought of that Chiyo-baasama had never bothered to use. With access to that information, Sakura could be a ticking time bomb for Konoha to attack Suna.

He didn't say anything of course, but something about it stuck with him.

Gaara, seeing Kakashi's eye move slightly, covered for Sakura. "I granted her permission to sift through Chiyo-baasama's old paperwork." He tilted his head back and folded his arms. "Our medical ninja aren't qualified enough to fully understand it all. With Sakura here, they can learn through her."

Kakashi nodded slowly. He wasn't fully convinced. Something just didn't seem right. Why would the Kazekage grant access to a private section of a hospital to the head medical ninja of another village? While yes, the new reign of the Kages called for peace and understanding as well as easy access to knowledge of other villages, Sakura studying all of Suna's medical flaws and successes was a different matter.

Kakashi sighed and opened up his book. He'd talk to her about it later. Right now, he wanted to finish reading his novel.

"Matsuri is coming," Gaara suddenly said, patting his napkin against the corners of his mouth.

Sakura blinked. "H-How do you know?"

He smiled tensely. "She's always fifteen minutes early to every mission."

Before Kankurō had time to react, the brunette had burst through the kitchen door. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He tilted his head at her panting and eyed her heaving shoulders. She almost reminded him of Naruto with her energetic persona. She swallowed nervously as she looked at Gaara. He stared at her.

"M-Matsuri, reporting for duty!" the younger woman said, bowing to Sakura. "I'll escort you to the hospital now."

The pink haired medical ninja laughed uncomfortably. What do you know? Gaara was right.

Slender fingers wrapped around her pale wrist, and Sakura somehow found herself being dragged along by Matsuri.

"A-Ano," Sakura stammered as the enthusiastic girl helped her out of her chair, "I'm not quite finished eating and—"

But even as she spoke, she knew it was futile. She felt herself get swept away by the sand nin's charisma and looked at her lover.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said, not looking away from his book. "Watch over Sakura."

"Heh," the Uchiha said, swiftly standing from his chair and walking behind the two women. "Like you even had to ask."

Matsuri glanced over her shoulder at the Kazekage before turning her blushing face quickly away.

* * *

"I imagine it must be hard to have time alone with Sakura," Kakashi said as he ran side by side with Sasuke.

"Ah," Sasuke said, as their feet hit against the ground.

Once Sasuke had finished his shift watching over Sakura, and Sai had come to relieve him of duty, he went to go pull his perverted sensei's nose out of that damn book, forcing Kakashi to run the perimeters of the village with him. After all, Sasuke's mantra was if you had time to breathe, you had time to train. They ran on the cliffs surrounding the village, and with this, he had memorized every building by heart. It was useful knowledge to be aware of your surroundings.

"Hn," Kakashi hummed, eyeing his former student. "You know, even though we're on a mission, you can use your time to guard her to your advantage."

The Uchiha ignored his sensei's ramblings. He felt a pounding sensation in his thighs. His legs were tense. They had spent three days running from Konoha to Suna. His body must have still needed to recover after that journey. He frowned. Still though, in order to keep up his stamina and make sure his legs didn't give out, he needed to run at least two more times that week before they left for home.

"Your relationship with her is rather shaky," Kakashi continued.

Sasuke clenched his jaw as he leapt over a rock. "What are you hinting at?"

Kakashi laughed nervously. "Saw right through me, did you?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. The old man clearly wanted something from him. If he had something to say, Sasuke would rather him spit it out than beat around the bush. He always did hate it when people didn't speak directly with him.

"You could take her on a date," Kakashi encouraged. "Make a sand castle with her." He scratched his chin. "Maybe pretend you're at the beach and have her wear a bathing suit_—_"

Sasuke nearly tripped over himself. He glared at his sensei.

"A-All I'm saying," Kakashi said, feeling the deadly aura from the Uchiha, "Is that even though we're shinobi, it's fine to take advantage of the situation."

"Just focus on the mission, Kakashi," Sasuke growled, speeding up ahead, and kicking up dirt behind him.

Kakashi sweat dropped. A touchy subject. Still though, he was persistent and caught up with the speedy Uchiha in a matter of seconds.

"Maybe you should try to spend a little more time with her," Kakashi said. "It doesn't seem like you two are much of a couple."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He didn't care how they looked to others. As long as he and Sakura knew they were in a relationship, that's all that mattered to him.

"I'd imagine Sakura would want more out of a relationship," Kakashi continued, further irritating the Uchiha heir. "She has waited for you for quite some time." He smiled behind his mask. "The least you can do is something romantic."

Sasuke's temple throbbed. What? Was walking down the streets of Suna and Konoha hand in hand not good enough for the pink haired kunoichi? He clicked his tongue. What more did she want? He wasn't like Lee who would go parading throughout the village proclaiming his undying love for her. He shuddered at the memory. Tenten hid for _weeks _after that and was only dragged out when Lee promised he'd never pull a stunt like that ever again.

Ch. Why was he even bothering to worry about such a stupid thing? She never expressed a concern for wanting more from him. Their relationship was just fine, in Sasuke's opinion.

"If she wants something, she'll ask for it," Sasuke replied.

Kakashi frowned. "True…but there are some things a woman shouldn't _have _to ask for."

Sasuke's brow furrowed. Maybe his old sensei was right. Perhaps he needed to be a little more romantic with her.

He tightened his fists.

But how exactly was he supposed to do that? They were in the fucking _sand _village. The only flowers that could be found were in the herb garden and off of cacti. Spikes certainly didn't give the aura of romance. Also, the idea of a date wasn't exactly appealing either. He would have to place the two of them just right in a restaurant to make sure that she wasn't in a vulnerable position where someone could take advantage of her.

After all, to Sasuke, Sakura's protection came first. This wasn't Konoha where he could just take her anywhere. He was still on a mission.

"Maybe a moonlight stroll is in order," Kakashi offered as a suggestion.

Sasuke contemplated it. On one hand, if they went for a walk, he could watch over her and have privacy with her. On the other, he would rather they have some more privacy than that. They hadn't slept together in a few days and Sasuke was a bit curious to know if her nightmares had come back or not. But with the mission coming first and foremost, he would have to take what he could get. Any scraps thrown his way would have to do.

So he nodded in agreement. A moonlight stroll would do.

* * *

"Mou," Sakura grumbled tiredly as she walked down the street again. "I'm not finding _anything_."

"Cheer up," Sai said with a smile. "I'm sure the fortieth time we walk through the market place, we'll find something."

Sakura shot a glare at him. Was he _trying _to be funny?

"The glass kunai weren't so bad," Matsuri said with an uneasy grin.

Sakura looked at her guide tiredly. Her feet dragged along the sand. Her toes ached and her legs were ready to give out. She had spent the majority of the afternoon trying to find something to give Sasuke, and the two that were with her weren't much help. She sighed and looked up at the bright sun.

Sakura frowned while Sai hummed thoughtfully. Maybe they were looking too hard. Sai glanced at the irritated medical ninja. She was thinking too much. The stoic Uchiha wasn't materialistic, so what was something she could give him?

"Should we try something simple?" Sai asked. "When Ino gives me gifts, it's often the thought that counts."

Sakura sweat dropped. "She gives you _painting _supplies, Sai." She exhaled slowly. "You have a hobby she can get gifts for. Sasuke just enjoys training and walking."

"Sakura-sama, does he need any weapons?" Matsuri yawned daintily, tired from wastefully walking so much.

"I don't think so," Sakura said. "Besides, he's so fond of his sword, I don't think he really wants any other weapons."

It was _hopeless._ Finding a gift for Sasuke was like trying to convince Tsunade to stop drinking: simply impossible. Something told Sakura that no matter how many times they walked up and down that road, they wouldn't find anything for the Uchiha.

She was about ready to sarcastically ask Sai for the condom he offered her the previous day, when her eyes landed on a food stand. She stared at it, her head tilted to the side for a little. Matsuri, noticing the medical ninja's sudden change in demeanor, waved a hand in front of her face.

"Sakura-sama?" she asked. "Are you hungry?"

Sakura ignored her and walked forward, eyes set on the baked goods that were packaged up. She wanted to smack her head against something. Of _course._ Why didn't she think of it sooner?

"Matsuri," Sakura said excitedly, her eyes gleaming from the lightbulb inside her head, "We won't be returning to the hospital for today."

The sand ninja blinked at the respected medic. She opened her mouth to ask where they were going instead, but the pink haired kunoichi was already walking in the opposite direction before she had time to say anything.

"S-Sakura-sama?" Matsuri asked, running after the driven woman.

Sakura didn't mean to ignore her. She was just caught up in her own thoughts. Now what were those ingredients again? She had rice, and milk was a given. But dried seaweed and the meat…

Sakura stopped walking and Matsuri ran straight into the ninja's back.

"G-Gomen!" Matsuri stammered.

"Matsuri," Sakura said sheepishly, scratching her cheek and blushing, "Where's the grocery store?"

Matsuri and Sai sweat dropped. While at times this queen of fist seemed like she knew exactly what she was doing, other times she clearly didn't have a clue.

Still though, Matsuri guided the two comrades to the grocery store. They had managed to grab the ingredients Sakura needed and soon found themselves in aprons, standing in the Kazekage's kitchen. Matsuri, who had always _dreamed _of cooking in Gaara's kitchen, could hardly contain her excitement. So much so, that Sakura felt she had to take the whisk and bowl away from her before she added too much salt in the mixture from her tears of joy.

"R-Right," Sakura said, feeling slightly uncomfortable with Matsuri's obsession as she backed away with the bowl. "Sai, make sure you keep an eye on the oven. I don't want the first batch going to waste. And mix the edamame dip, would you?"

Matsuri couldn't keep her fingers from running along the counter tops. This was the place where _Gaara-sama _ate and cooked. She sighed, sinking into one of the table's chairs. She wondered where he sat for breakfast.

"You really like Gaara-sama," Sakura said to Matsuri quietly as Sai focused on the oven with determination. "Don't you?"

The sand ninja blushed. "I-Is it that obvious?"

Sakura laughed uneasily. "A-Ano…"

Matsuri sighed and leaned her head to the table, pressing her cheek to the surface. She had tried so many times to get her feelings across to Gaara, but he thought of her as nothing more than a fan girl.

"It took me forever to get it through Sasuke's thick skull that I love him," Sakura said, trying to cheer the poor girl up.

It just further depressed her.

"E-Eto," Sakura hummed, tapping her lower lip thoughtfully. "H-Have you confessed to him yet?"

Matsuri's already pink face turned a deep shade of red. "N-No! O-Of course not! G-Gaara-sama is…" She lowered her gaze. "Gaara-sama is the Kazekage."

Sakura frowned. She felt Sai's eyes on her back, but she sat down next to the brunette. Laying a hand on her shoulder, Matsuri was shocked out of her self pity.

"It doesn't matter who he is," Sakura said truthfully, "If you love him, you need to tell him." She smiled gently. "Okay?"

Matsuri swallowed nervously. "And if he rejects me?"

Sakura folded her arms and leaned against the back of her chair. "You have two options. You can either move on," she grinned, "or show him how much of a bad ass you are."

Sai smiled softly. Naruto had told him once that before Sasuke left, Sakura felt utterly useless. She used to stand by, watching as the two of them protected her, unable to do a thing to heal their wounds or jump in the battle herself. It was that feeling that charged her resolve.

So when Sakura had that fire in her eyes, Sai didn't take a step back. He was well aware of how hot they burned. Matsuri, however, wasn't prepared for the flames. She stared at the head medical ninja of Konoha in admiration.

"Hai, Sakura-sama!" Matsuri said, getting pumped up.

Sai tilted his head. "I think I smell something burning."

"That's the fire of passion you're smelling," Matsuri replied firmly, holding a fist up.

"No," Sakura said, her brow furrowing and inhaling the smoke, "There's something actually burning." She turned to look at the shriveled up baked goods in the oven. "Sai! You were supposed to be watching the oven!"

Sai sweat dropped and raised his fist weakly. "Girl-power?"

* * *

The first thing Gaara noticed when he walked into his home was the smell of smoke. The second thing he noticed was Matsuri scrambling down the hall with a fire extinguisher and disappearing back into the kitchen. Kankurō raised an eyebrow while the Kazekage sighed.

"Tadaima," Gaara muttered, ready for whatever crazy occurrence had happened.

He walked down the hall and peeked his head into the smoky room. His eyes narrowed as he watched Sakura try to pick up what appeared to be burnt crisps off of a steaming hot pan. Sai stood beside her, his face and pink apron blackened with scorch marks as Matsuri extinguished the oven first and then sprayed a shocked Sai down.

"G-Gaara-sama!" Matsuri cried, blushing and bowing deeply for the redheaded Kazekage.

Sakura smiled weakly. "G-Gaara-sama…"

Kankurō backed away from Gaara, a little concerned as to what he was going to do. He wasn't speaking and his shoulders were shaking. That normally wasn't a good sign. Gaara clenched his fists tightly.

"Sakura," he ground out, "What _happened?_"

"W-We were baking," Sakura stammered, dropping a rock hard circle back on the pan, "A-And forgot to check on the—"

She stopped talking.

Gaara was _laughing. _He held his stomach with one hand and his other wrist to his lips, trying to stop his laughter, but it wouldn't stop. Matsuri, Sai, and Kankurō stared at him with wide eyes. Sakura, however, chuckled herself and blushed, happy she could bring out laughter from the serious Kazekage.

Sakura shook her head and motioned for the two brothers to come join them. "Want to bake another batch with us?"

Gaara, finally able to stop laughing, lowered his hand and stared at Sakura with a tender look. "Ah."

And somehow, the Kazekage found himself cleaning and baking side by side with the Konoha medical ninja. They made another mixture and determined that Kankurō would be the one to keep an eye on the oven, seeing as Sai had failed to do so for the previous attempt.

Sakura glanced between Matsuri and Gaara. She bit her lower lip and frowned. The younger ninja really did remind her of herself when she had a flimsy little crush on Sasuke. But that flimsy little crush turned into true love as they faced hardships together. And when she learned of his pain…the _true _extent of it, it plunged her deeper in love.

Maybe all Matsuri needed was a little alone time…? So Sakura rose from the table slowly and smiled gently as Sai looked at her.

"I-I'm going to go get some of my medical books," Sakura said politely. "Sai, would you come with me_—?_"

"Would you mind if I accompanied you?" Gaara asked, rising from his seat. "I need to get something from my room."

Sakura blinked, staring at the redhead in astonishment. Well, there went _her _plan to get the two of them together. Sakura nodded numbly, following Gaara out into the hallway and turning the corner to go toward both of their bedrooms. While hers was a few floors beneath his, the direction they walked in was the same.

The sound of feet padding echoed down the silent hallway as they walked in unison. Sakura glanced at Gaara's stoic face. She frowned. Did she do something wrong? Maybe he was going to scold her about the burned goods…

"G-Gomenasai," Sakura apologized as they approached her room. "I didn't mean to set your kitchen on fire."

Gaara stopped walking and let her have access to her door. He wouldn't look at her. She felt her chest ache and she opened up her door. She stepped inside and turned to tell Gaara to wait, but he had already slipped in her room and closed the door swiftly behind him.

"Why are you so insistent on baking senbei?" Gaara asked quietly, looking at her closely.

Sakura blushed and shifted her gaze away from his. "A-Ano…" She swallowed and bit her lower lip under the Kazekage's intense stare. "Th-They're for Sasuke-kun…"

Gaara didn't answer. He tilted his head down and sighed, folding his arms. Did he really have no hope with the medical ninja?

"You..." he started to say.

Gaara swallowed and closed his eyes. He shook his head. His job wasn't to seduce her. He promised Naruto he would protect her no matter what.

"We don't have much time to talk," he said. "I passed Kakashi and Sasuke on my way back here, so we only have a few minutes before they come back." Gaara leaned back against the door. "I got your transfer papers ready, just as you asked."

Sakura nodded. "Excellent. And I've already got hold of the registry for the hospital, so if I have to live in Suna, everything will be ready."

Gaara opened his eyes to meet Sakura's. "Meet with me tomorrow at midnight on the balcony." He turned his back to her. "Don't get caught."

Sakura smirked. "I won't."

Gaara opened the door, surprised to find the Uchiha standing right there. Sakura stumbled into the Kazekage's back, stepping away and rubbing her nose from the collision. She looked over his shoulder at Sasuke. His onyx orbs stared at Gaara intensely.

"…What's going on?" Sasuke asked slowly, his eyes drilling holes into the Kazekage's.

She suddenly felt a cold chill sweep over her. Gaara wasn't kidding when he said they didn't have much time to talk. She wondered if Sasuke heard anything of what they said.

"We were just sharing a private moment," Gaara stated truthfully. "I wanted to confide in her." He didn't tear his gaze away from the Uchiha's. "Isn't that right, Sakura?"

It was then that his dark eyes shifted to the pink haired kunoichi.

"H-Hai," she squeaked, her cheeks reddening and her heart thumping hard in her chest.

Sasuke looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Ah…"

Sakura, unable to take the tension, started to slip by Gaara and Sasuke through the doorway, muttering something about needing to get back to the kitchen before they burn down the Kazekage's household again, when Gaara's hand on hers stopped her.

Both Sasuke and Sakura looked down at the pale fingers wrapped around her petite wrist. Sakura looked up at him innocently while Sasuke glared at him angrily. Gaara kept Sakura's gaze as he reached behind him and grabbed a medical book from a side table next to the door.

Right. Her excuse to get out of the kitchen in the first place. He remembered.

Gaara placed it in her trembling fingers. "Here."

Sakura swallowed. "A-Arigatou."

And with that, she slipped past the Uchiha and the Kazekage. She looked at them, waiting for the pair to follow her, but she noticed the intense look in their eyes as they gazed at one another. Sakura's brow furrowed.

"A-Ano," she stammered, "A-Are you coming, Sasuke?" Sakura brought the medical book to her chest. "Gaara-sama has to go to his room."

Sasuke tilted his head cockily. "Then shall I escort you, _Gaara?_"

Gaara coolly looked at him. "No, thank you." He leaned forward so the Uchiha was the only one to hear him. "Sakura cannot bloom in total darkness."

Sasuke gripped the edge of his shirt, his shoulder blocking Sakura's view from the grasp. He glared at the Kazekage, his sharingan nearly activated from his rage. But knowing Sakura was right there, he let go and turned to follow her. The Kazekage's eyes never left his back as he walked down the hallway. The Uchiha, feeling the gaze, grabbed the medical ninja's hand gently to remind him _who_ exactly she was dating.

Uchiha fucking Sasuke.

_That's_ who.

As they rounded a corner, Sasuke stared into those cool eyes, his sharingan fully activated, ready for a challenge.

Gaara narrowed his eyes.

Bring it.

* * *

Sakura shivered and wrapped her cloak tighter around her shoulders. Sasuke frowned and glanced back at her, holding her hand as he guided her through the dark. He had asked her to join him for an evening walk, and as they made their way up the cliffs, he started to regret it. While the _notion _of a moonlight stroll seemed romantic, the act of it wasn't. With only the stars and the moon as light, it made dodging snakes and lizards a bit of a hassle. But of course, they were ninja so they didn't fuss over it.

With both Sasuke and Sakura trained to deal with poisons, a bite from a deadly snake meant nothing to them. Stung like hell though.

"A little further," Sasuke stated.

Sakura smiled. She didn't care how long it took them. The point was, she was finally _alone _with him. To be honest, she didn't care what they did together. She was happy just to be holding his hand.

"What did you and the Kazekage talk about?" Sasuke asked over his shoulder.

Sakura, surprised by his question, slipped on a rock. She leaned on his back for support before pulling herself back up. She stared at him curiously.

"Patient and medical ninja confidentiality," Sakura lied, grateful for the excuse.

She could have sworn she saw Sasuke's shoulders relax. She tilted her head to the side. She lightly squeezed his hand. Maybe she needed to reassure him that even though they didn't spend much time together, they were still in a relationship. After all, she loved _him _and no one else. Even if she was making plans to move to Suna without his knowledge, she still had two months to make her decision. She still had time to shower him with love.

They finally reached the top, Sasuke pulling Sakura up to stand by his side. She felt something slither by her foot and she tripped, colliding with his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and tugged her closer, shifting his gaze away.

"Ah, don't!" Sakura cried, pushing him away.

Sasuke let go, mostly because of the shock. His eye twitched. Why was she _rejecting _him?

Sakura gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, no, it's just..." Out of her pocket, she pulled the slightly burnt senbei she and the others had made earlier that day. "I-It's just that I wanted to thank you...for all of the time you've let me spend at your house and I didn't want them to get crushed, so I just—"

Without a word, Sasuke yanked her close to his chest again. He grabbed the bag of senbei from her hand, tore open the packaging and tossed one in his mouth. He smirked. Not quite like his oji-san's, but the fact that she tried meant a lot to him.

"I-I was thinking that maybe we could try to find the recipe to your family's senbei," Sakura said quickly. "I know they're not really good right now, but with the recipe, I think we could—"

"Arigatou," he muttered.

Just then a bright light flew behind his head across the dark sky. Sakura was left breathless. His dark eyes sparkled as the shooting star went by. Sakura cupped his cheek, noticing a small crumb on his lip. She stood on her tiptoes and licked it off before pressing her mouth to his. Sasuke closed his eyes to embrace the sweetness of her mouth. Her hands wrapped themselves in his hair and he entwined his fingers with hers.

"Sakura," he murmured against her lips.

He pulled away slightly, to feel her pant against his breath. "Sasuke-kun..."

He let his tongue sweep over hers before pulling away. His purpose in bringing her out that night wasn't to seduce her. He tenderly pulled a dazed Sakura to sit down next to him on the cliff to have a proper view of the stars. She sighed, leaning into his chest, letting him support the two of them as they gazed at the silver moon.

He smirked.

The Kazekage was wrong.

This sakura seemed to be blossoming just fine in the darkness.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

"Excellent," Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, walking alongside Sai as they went further inside the cave. "This is perfect."

Sai smiled and made a green mark next to the cave on the map. "It's good that the map we got from Gaara-sama is so accurate."

Kakashi nodded his approval. "If Suna and Konoha weren't on peaceful terms, you would have probably had to seriously steal that." He sighed and glanced toward the dark ceiling. "Times certainly have changed..."

It had been so long since the last time Konoha and Suna had fought. Kakashi sighed under his mask. Things were so different now. What had previously been horrible had gone to a very excellent relationship between the two villages. With Gaara and Naruto as the leaders of the two villages, it was no wonder they shared a strong bond of peace and friendship.

Kakashi watched as the sand stormed at the edge of the cave. Right. He didn't need to be focused on nostalgia. He shot a look at Sai.

"We still have four more caves to go after this," Kakashi said. "We need to hit every last one before heading back to Sunagakure."

"Hai, Kakashi-senpai," Sai replied.

But Kakashi knew time was ticking on. They had left Sasuke and Sakura in Suna, using the lame excuse of 'monitoring the perimeters' to get the hell out of there and put a plan in motion. They didn't have much time left, and he knew if they were too late, Sasuke and Sakura would immediately catch onto their plan. Kakashi's first priority was to keep the couple in the dark, making sure they had no idea what was coming their way until it was too late.

Sai, who also watched as the yellow grains of sand blew harshly outside, broke out his sketch pad. He immediately began to draw little bats across the page, dragging his brush along with his hand. He glanced up at Kakashi. While he was doubtful this plan would work, he wasn't one to question his knowledgeable senpai. He eyed the sandstorm outside and raised an eyebrow.

"It looks real, Kakashi-senpai," Sai said as the copy ninja stood by the entranceway of the cave. "Very natural."

Kakashi nodded. "Good." He made a few motions with his hands to release the jutsu. Immediately, the sand fell down to the desert ground. "It's not as good as Gaara-sama's, but it'll do."

Sai finished the bats and peeled them off of the page. Flapping their wings and taking flight off the parchment, they easily removed themselves from their paper cage. One by one, they flew up into the darkness to hide until they were needed. Sai rubbed his nose and stared at Kakashi.

"I still haven't figured out how you and Shizune-san got together," Sai pondered out loud.

"And you're not going to," Kakashi replied coolly, amusedly wondering how the younger shinobi discovered his secret relationship.

Sai blinked. "But it could help us with our mission."

Kakashi chuckled. "Trust me, it wouldn't." He started back out of the cave and glanced back at Sai, waiting for him to follow. "And don't tell Naruto or Sakura about us either." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If they knew, it'd be the end of me."

Sai smiled. "They're well aware that _something _is going on between you two." He tilted his head thoughtfully as he placed his sketch pad back in his black bag. "You do show up at the Konoha hospital to hit on Shizune-san in front of the entire staff, after all."

Kakashi sweat dropped. He may have been a ninja, but he wasn't exactly stealthy about his relationships.

"Besides, it's only a matter of time before all of Konoha figures it out," Sai said truthfully. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who saw you kissing her before we left for Suna. That is, after all, why you were late for arrival." Sai smiled. "Ne, Kakashi-senpai?"

Kakashi felt his cheeks redden. He coughed and tried to change the subject. "If we hurry, we can get to the other four caves before it's time to switch guard with Sasuke."

"Ah," Sai agreed. "He did seem a little irritated with us ditching him like that."

Kakashi coughed behind his mask. "We're not _ditching _him, we're...giving them more time as a couple."

Sai really did doubt that. They had dropped Sakura and Sasuke off at the hospital with a sea of children waiting to get their yearly shots. Something told the artistic ninja that things wouldn't go over so well.

Sai hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder how they're doing..."

* * *

"Sasu-chan!" Uri cried, tugging on the Uchiha's silky hair. "I don't _want _to get my shots!"

Sakura sweat dropped while Sasuke glared at the creature crawling all over him. It seemed that no matter how much he pried, struggled, and thwacked, that child _refused _to get off of him. He shifted his death stare at the pink haired medical ninja as Uri shoved her tiny foot on his shoulder and propped herself over his head. Sakura would have laughed, except Sasuke's killing intent was keeping her from it.

So Sakura coughed, covering her smile with her palm. "U-Uri-chan." She tried to be sweet about it. "Ne, Sasuke likes big girls who can handle their shots."

She gave Sasuke a look.

"Ah," he confirmed.

Anything to get this kid off him.

"But I'm scared of the ugly lady with the needle!" Uri wailed, strangling Sasuke as she held his neck as tight as she could.

Sakura's temple throbbed. Right. She _tried _to be sweet about it.

Grabbing the brat by the collar, she ripped the kid off of Sasuke, and shoved the shot into her arm. Sasuke's eyes widened in irritation as the child gave a blood curling scream _right _into his damn ear. Fuck. That kid had a pair of lungs.

"Listen, _kid_," she snarled over the hiccuping girl. "You need your shots." She pulled the child's pants down so she could get at the butt cheek before shoving one more shot there. "And I am _not _going to be responsible for _your _illness." Sakura flicked the empty syringe in the trashcan and slapped a pink band-aid on her ass. "Got it?"

Before the child could respond, Sakura had forced a green lollipop in the snot-nosed kid's face. Sakura hurriedly picked the kid up like a sack of potatoes, opened the door to find a few astonished nurses standing out in the hall, dumped the child on the ground, muttered, "this devil is _your _responsibility now," and then slammed the door shut. Sakura leaned her head against it, letting out a very _slow _exhale as she did so.

She could feel the Uchiha's eyes on the back of her head. She wanted to scream. When she had suggested he help out in the hospital since she knew he didn't want to _sit _all day, she hadn't realized how much of a hassle it would actually be. Sakura figured she would be able to do a few operations here and there, read up on Chiyo-baasama's work, and fiddle with some poisons.

No. What _she _got was kiddie torture. She hadn't signed up for this. Sasuke and Sakura had spent the majority of the morning trapped inside of that damn room, having parents drag their kids kicking and screaming just to get their annual shots. Well, she mused, maybe this would deter the clan heir away from his desire to rebuild the Uchiha clan so soon.

Sakura took a deep breath and shook her head. Her fingers ran through her pink strands as she turned to face Sasuke. His hair was disheveled from being yanked, tugged, sneezed, and drooled on. Sakura let out a giggle, averting her gaze. She couldn't look at him.

"You think this is _funny?_" Sasuke hissed, his onyx orbs narrowing into slits and turning red from his sharingan.

Sakura covered her smiling mouth, finally meeting his gaze. "G-Gomen, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke rose from the patient table and took three strides, coming to a halt in front of her. He towered over the medical ninja, his eyes drilling holes into her own. He couldn't _believe _she was laughing! How was it funny? How was dealing with crying children all morning _hilarious _to her? He looked in her sparkling jade orbs filled with mirth, ready to give her a stern talking to, when he stopped himself.

They were alone. They were alone in a _private _medical room.

Suddenly his deadly intent vanished. She wanted to make fun of him? Fine. He swiftly grabbed her by the shoulders, swung her around and pinned her to the patient table. Her eyes were now wide open in surprise. She was going to realize that _no one _makes fun of an Uchiha and gets away with it.

"Who's laughing now?" Sasuke murmured, his lips barely touching Sakura's as he spoke.

She shivered against his touch. "S-Sasuke_—"_

Those strong pale arms of his imprisoned her, clasping her so close to his broad chest that she could hardly breathe. Not that she could breathe anyway, since he was kissing her so deeply, so passionately, to make up for the time they couldn't be together over the previous few days. Swallowed up by the Uchiha, Sakura moaned against his mouth. She realized with satisfaction that no one would be able to interrupt them. Her next appointment wasn't for fifteen minutes.

Sakura smiled against his mouth.

And fifteen minutes was all she needed to make up for lost time.

Abruptly, Sasuke lifted his head, and looked down into her eyes that had gone an even deeper green than he could have thought possible. She was panting from lack of breath, her chest rising and falling quickly, color bright over her cheeks. He released his grip on her wrists and her hands fell around his neck, tugging him closer to her.

Tilting her body back in his arms, Sasuke poured kisses on her cheeks and the soft skin beneath her ears, his mouth forming a fiery path down her slender throat. The feeling of his fingers on her breasts was overflowing inside of Sakura. The room rotated around and around, making her feel drunk and dizzy with desire. Sakura held to him tightly, wanting him to take her right there.

And just as suddenly as he had thrown her on the table, he was gone.

Sakura blinked. Sasuke was still just standing there by the patient table, hair messy from being toyed with by the children, and Sakura's back was still pressed against the wall. She narrowed her eyes.

Of course.

The sharingan. She should have _known _it was all just an illusion. She glared at a smirking Sasuke.

"_Very _funny," she huffed, grabbing the door handle and twisting it. "Wait here." She threw open the door and shot him a look over her shoulder. "_I'll _go get the next patient." She pursed her lips tightly. "And by the way, you have _gum _in your hair."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched as the medical ninja stormed out of the room. He slowly raised a hand to pat his hair. He felt the sticky sensation and grimaced.

Fucking brats...

* * *

"Gaara," Kankurō said slowly, watching as the Kazekage flipped through documents at his desk. "You seem a little..." He eyed the gleam in his brother's eyes warily. "...happy, lately."

Gaara glanced up at the puppeteer. "Ah."

Kankurō shuddered. "Truthfully, it's kind of creeping me out."

The last time Gaara had been so 'happy' was when they were kids and his brother was on a blood bath rampage. The only time he smiled that much was when they had got back from killing missing ninja. So forgive Kankurō for being just a little bit wary of his brother's happiness.

The redhead's eyes narrowed. "Would you rather me be miserable, Kankurō?"

Kankurō shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "I just don't know if it's a good idea to be meeting with Sakura so much."

Gaara stared at his brother. "We're just discussing her escape plan." He laid the stack of papers in his hands down on his desk. "In case she doesn't want to marry Sasuke."

Kankurō took a step back. "I never took you for a liar, Gaara."

The Kazekage's eyes widened dangerously and he glared at his brother. "I have feelings for her." He folded his arms sternly. "I'm not lying about anything."

Kankurō frowned. "But she's in love with the traitor." He sighed and leaned against the wall. "I can't imagine this ending well, Gaara."

Gaara would not budge. He was well aware of the kunoichi's love for the clan heir. In fact, he knew that even if he told her his feelings, she would still remain by the Uchiha's side. He was fighting a battle that he would not win. But Gaara was determined. He firmly believed in bonds and being able to express one's emotions. If he didn't convey his feelings to her properly, he wouldn't be able to walk away with his head held high.

"She's loved this guy since they were kids, Gaara," Kankurō pressed through the Kazekage's silence. "And she's in a mess with Konoha. You really don't want to get too involved with that_—_"_  
_

"I'm already involved," Gaara retorted calmly.

Kankurō sighed and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. "Yeah, but..." He exhaled slowly. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Gaara, hearing his brother's words, felt a small smile on his lips. It really did touch him how much he was cared for now. He worked hard to earn that care and respect. He was grateful for it. Warmth spread through his chest.

"Arigatou," Gaara said slowly. "But I will decide how I deal with this." The smile wiped off his face. "You can go, Kankurō."

His brother shivered, feeling the cold vibes the sand ninja was shooting his way. He swallowed nervously. Even though he knew Gaara wouldn't do anything to hurt him, it still gave him the chills just thinking about getting on the bad side of the Kazekage. So with his tail between his legs, Kankurō started making his way out the door. He glanced back at his brother who had gone back to working.

"You know," Kankurō said slowly, "Even though she's in love with the Uchiha..." He looked away from his brother, a blush on his cheeks. "Gambatte."

Shocked by the puppeteer's words, Gaara looked up from the papers, but he was already gone. Gaara tilted his chin down toward the work in front of him and smiled softly.

"Gambatte..."

* * *

"You sure you want to rebuild the Uchiha clan?" Kakashi asked casually as he took a kunai to Sasuke's locks.

The clan heir glared at his mentor in the mirror. It was bad enough that Sai was late for his shift to guard Sakura, but he also needed help getting out the rather _large _bubblegum wad at the back of his head. It was embarrassing enough without Kakashi adding salt to his wounds.

"Urusai," Sasuke muttered harshly, folding his arms impatiently.

"You're not exactly great with kids," Kakashi reminded him, "Remember that hostage rescue mission?"

Sasuke winced. How could he forget? It was one of his last missions as an ANBU. It wasn't like one of his normal missions to infiltrate a base, place explosives, knock out a few guards, and then get the fuck out of there. No, it had to be a damn _rescue _mission for a good twenty five children.

Human trafficking was still a problem, much to his disgust, and these poor orphaned kids had fallen victim to the horror. So Sasuke and his team were sympathetic to the children. As sympathetic as the sharingan user could be, of course. But those _stupid _kids wouldn't stop fucking _crying. _They kept screaming the entire time. Even after Sasuke managed to knock three of them out and lug them over his shoulders, the other twenty two were too busy sobbing to recognize the danger they were putting themselves in.

Soon enough, the guards had them surrounded. Sasuke had to _dump _the fucking knocked out brats on the ground and keep all of the children protected while his team attempted to keep them in one place. As if _that _would work. The children yanked, tugged, and bit their way out of the shinobis' grasps, climbing the walls and slipping into the cracks of the hideout before the Konoha ninja could protest.

It was ridiculous. Really. When he finally managed to kill every last one of the damn guards, they had to go around the hideout to re-capture all of the children. Sasuke was thoroughly relieved when they went to the brats' village and dropped the little demons off. It was actually this very mission that made him rethink his ANBU position and suddenly develop the desire to chill out in Konoha for a while.

"Maybe it's a good thing Sakura turned you down," Kakashi muttered, trying to get the pink crap off of his gloved fingers.

Sasuke ground his teeth. "Whatever."

The white haired ninja hummed thoughtfully. "Where do you two stand with that issue?" He managed to get the gum out of his hands and began cutting away at the left over junk in Sasuke's hair. "You're in a relationship now, so I'm guessing she's warming up to the idea..." Kakashi laid down the kunai and admired his work. "Are you going to ask her a second time?"

Sasuke tensed, remembering the night he asked her back in Konoha. He had been too hasty in his request, having witnessed Ino agree to marry Sai.

"I already did."

Kakashi's one good eye narrowed. "Her reply?"

The Uchiha didn't need to reply. His silence was enough of an answer.

"I see," Kakashi sighed, leaning against the bathroom counter and looking out the window.

Sasuke turned on the sink and dunked his head under the running water. He gripped the soap and scrubbed his head. The cold water made goosebumps rise on his skin, but he didn't care. He needed to cool his head off.

"Well, have you learned anything from your first two failed attempts?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke scoffed. "I don't need a lecture."

Kakashi begged to differ. Still, he was smart enough not to anger his former student. He folded his arms.

"Have you two even sat down and talked about it?" Kakashi asked. "Or is it just something you both decided to ignore?"

Sasuke's eyes formed slits and he shut off the water. Droplets poured from the ends of his wet hair as he straightened his back. Shirtless, and angry, the Uchiha looked at Kakashi.

"I find it interesting, _sensei_," Sasuke said menacingly, "that you are so bent on interfering with my relationship."

Kakashi stared at the Uchiha. "You know how I feel about Team Seven."

"You know how I feel about Sakura," Sasuke replied.

Kakashi's eye widened. So, Sasuke_ did _have feelings for the pink haired kunoichi. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Part of him thought that Sasuke was playing the role of a lover just to get Sakura to become the mother of his clan. But with this...

"When are you planning on telling her?" Kakashi asked quietly.

Sasuke said nothing. He grabbed the red towel on the counter and rubbed his black locks with it.

"You _are _going to tell her, aren't you?" Kakashi pressed.

Sasuke slammed the towel to his old sensei's chest and gave him a glare. "There's nothing to tell."

Kakashi let the rag fall to the floor as the Uchiha walked past him and out the door. The white haired ninja frowned.

"Still in denial, huh?" he muttered to himself. "I don't see this ending well..."

* * *

Night had fallen, and Sakura had once again snuck out of her bedroom to go visit the Kazekage. With her teammates' predictable shifts, she had half a mind to smack them all upside the head and tell them to do their job properly. Then again, they were guarding against _outsiders _coming in. They would never think to guard her from the inside to make sure she wouldn't leave.

"You seem tired," Gaara said to Sakura as they sat on his bed side by side.

Sakura yawned and smiled wearily. "I had to give shots to a bunch of kids today..." She laughed lightly. "You can imagine how that went over."

Gaara nodded. "It must be...rather difficult to be a medical ninja."

"The kids I dealt with just fine," the pink haired kunoichi replied honestly, sighing and looking out the dark window to peer at the stars. "It was Sasuke who was trouble."

Gaara tensed.

"He had gum stuck in his hair," Sakura giggled, "And the children wouldn't stop clinging to him while I tried to give them their shots." She smiled playfully. "I accidentally prodded him with the needle a few times_—_"

Gaara placed his hand gently on the bed spread and looked at Sakura. "Would you mind...not speaking of the Uchiha right now?"

Sakura blinked in surprise. She stared into his smoldering gaze and leaned back.

"G-Gaara-sama?"

The redhead gave her a meaningful look before turning away.

Sakura released the breath she was holding. "R-Right, because we need to talk about a-an escape plan." She laughed nervously. "I've made all the necessary plans at the hospital so_—_"

"That's not it," Gaara interrupted her, unapologetically. "I have something I need to tell you, and I hope it doesn't inconvenience you."

Sakura tilted her head curiously. They had already spent the majority of the evening discussing the plan for her to leave Konoha, so it couldn't have been about that. She swallowed. Gaara had been a little tense during the time they were talking, so maybe there was some concern for Temari? Or Kankurō?

So Sakura took his hand, reassuringly, and smiled gently at the Kazekage. "Whatever it is, Gaara-sama, you can tell me."

Gaara looked at her, her bright jade eyes looking innocently at him. Gaara's heart leapt as he observed her. A warm, considerate look was on her face. He clenched his jaw. He had to do it. He had to let her know of his growing feelings. He was no coward.

"What is it, Gaara-sama?" Sakura asked him.

The Kazekage smiled gently.

"'Gaara' is fine," he said. "Just…Gaara."

"Gaara," Sakura repeated chuckling. She gave him a look before adding on, "That's not all, is it?"

She brushed her hair behind her ear, her fingers dancing lightly over her cheeks.

"We have known each other for quite some time," he said, turning so he could stare adamantly at the floor. "The relationship between us has been acquaintances at best, though." He swallowed. "And I would like to get to know you...a bit better."

Sakura blinked. True, Gaara wasn't very good with words and he always spoke louder through his actions. The fact that he was making such an effort in trying to deepen their friendship truly touched the pink haired kunoichi.

"Gaara," Sakura said, catching herself before she added the suffix on unnecessarily, "We're already friends. If you want to get closer, that's fine with me."

The redhead, shocked, looked at her. He stared into those beautiful eyes of hers. He shifted over slightly, hand still entwined with the medical ninja's.

"I understand that you have feelings for Sasuke…" She didn't answer, so he continued. "And I understand the predicament you are currently in."

Sakura remained silent. She could feel her chest suddenly sink in. What was Gaara trying to tell her...?

"But even still," he said. "I need to be honest with you."

Sakura's heart started to pound.

"H-Honest?" her voice asked through the stillness of the night.

"Ah," Gaara said quietly, "You do not have to give me a response tonight." He tilted his head to the side as he thumbed over the back of her hand. "Or tomorrow." He lifted her hand to his lips. "Or even in a few months." He pressed his mouth over her knuckles and watched her eyes shift in realization. "But I would like to know your feelings eventually."

Sakura didn't know what to do. The Kazekage was being so straight-forward. And before she had time to process what exactly was happening, he said it.

He said the words she wanted to hear from Sasuke.

"Sakura...Aishiteru."


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Haruno Sakura sat on the roof of the Kazekage building, bags under her eyes and mouth still dropped open. She hadn't gotten a wink of sleep at all the night before. She could hardly believe that the Kazekage had said something so bold to her.

_"Sakura…aishiteru."_

_Sakura stared at him. She swallowed nervously and opened her mouth to speak. But he gave her a look. A very calm, cool look that told her he wasn't finished speaking. So she allowed him to continue. She sure as hell wasn't sure what to say in return._

_"As I said, you do not have to respond to my feelings right away," he said. "Please take your time to think." He gently cupped her cheek, to which she leapt in response. He smiled at her reaction. "I will not do anything to you that you do not want."_

_Sakura could hardly believe her ears. She had had confessions before. Mostly humorous ones from strangers that were drunk after a night at the bar. Or from the elderly men she took care of at the hospital. But this…this was a serious confession._

_Gaara, looked away, feeling his face heat up as the pink haired kunoichi stared. This was his first confession and he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do after this. He had heard about showing one's affections, but he didn't feel that kissing her so suddenly would be appropriate at that moment._

_"Gaara," Sakura finally said, placing her hand over his. "Arigatou."_

_He felt her fingers on his, and he couldn't help look at her lips. They shone in the moonlight, forming a perfect 'o' in surprise._

_"I will think about it," she said truthfully. "So…just wait."_

_Gaara closed his eyes in satisfaction. "I will."_

For the previous couple of hours, Gaara's confession was all Sakura could think about. How could she have been so oblivious to his feelings? Looking back on their interactions, she probably should have seen it coming. She was just too wrapped up in Sasuke to realize how the redhead felt. Such a declaration...it was something she had been dreaming of for years. But it came from the wrong person. Could she turn her affections from the Uchiha to the Kazekage? She had tried before with Naruto. It had failed miserably.

She was well aware of what she 'should' have done. She should have fallen for anyone other than the traitor. For years, people had tried to convince her to switch her affections. Because at least then her love would have been returned. She wouldn't have had to suffer through years of unrequited love. She winced and clutched the fabric over her heart. It was painful.

Sakura watched as the sun reached out over the sand, well aware of the figure suddenly appearing behind her. She knew her teammates would realize she was missing eventually. She was surprised at how quickly they discovered it.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, taking a step forward. "You snuck out of your room…to come here?"

"I couldn't sleep," she said truthfully.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. Did she have a nightmare? Since they hadn't slept together in a few days, he wasn't able to watch over her while she rested. He watched her slouch forward, her normally perfect posture gone as she clung to the flimsy piece of fabric keeping her warm on a cold morning. The desert, unsurprisingly, was extremely cold at night in contrast to its hot days where the sand would burn at the touch.

"Sasuke," she whispered, her tired eyes watching the sun rise. "Can I just stay here for a little while?"

Her lover frowned. On one hand, Kakashi was under the assumption that she was fast asleep in her room. On the other, he was second in command…

So he made the decision.

"Ah," he replied calmly, feeling the morning air run through his hair.

Like a warm blanket steadily being drawn over the earth, the sun made its way toward the sky. The blood red tint disappeared into a nice blue under the rays. Sakura shifted as the wind blew by her. She suddenly felt a heavy piece of clothing wrap around her shoulders. She blinked and looked up at Sasuke. He stared straight ahead, eyes focused on the scattered clouds in the distance.

Sakura clutched his cloak tightly around her.

She smiled softly. "Arigatou."

* * *

Gaara smiled sadly at Chiyo's grave in front of him. He visited it a few times a week out of respect for the elderly woman. The people of Sungakure were well aware of his visits to the grave, and they themselves brought flowers out of respect for the woman who had resurrected the Kazekage. He visited it as often as possible, truthfully. His leadership position didn't allow him much time to visit as much as he would like, but even on days of travel, he would save a few moments of silence in the morning to honor her.

True, she had placed the monster inside of him. She helped cause his misery growing up. What could have been a child surrounded by love and friends, turned out to be a cold killer. Others' pain was his reason for existence. The fear in their eyes before they died was proof that he was real. He had been an empty shell...a vessel of destruction. He took pleasure out of ripping life out from under unsuspecting victims.

But then he learned there was another way. He no longer had a deep hatred toward his village burning inside of him. He made attempts to understand each person he met and showered them with kindness and trust that, at times, perhaps they didn't deserve. He supposed that was why he visited Chiyo's grave so much. Even after her death, he was struggling to comprehend the life she lived. At times she was playful. And during others she was serious.

A life. A human life in exchange for his...

Sakura _felt_ Chiyo die while her arms were wrapped around the woman's cold body. She felt her last quivering breaths that broke off into nothingness. Gaara remembered staggering over to the silent crying medical ninja, her tears pouring over the corpse. Shoulders shook as she bit her lower lip, trying to stifle her sobs. Gaara, while grieving, refused to see her in such pain ever again.

He supposed that was what drove him to confess to her the night before. He knew that if she allowed him to, each day spent with him would be joyful. He would give her the love she needed and desired...

Maybe he always felt this way about the pink haired kunoichi. Maybe, after watching her mourn Chiyo, he had realized at that time how deep her love ran. He knew her heart was as big as the desert and just as hot with passion. Her tears, though many, were meaningful and had purpose. The connection she had with Chiyo...

Even though their time together had been brief, their friendship still remained dear in the woman's heart. That kind of love...that kind of love was something Gaara wanted. No. He let his fist touch the sand at Chiyo's grave. It was something he _needed_. An overwhelming love that would take over his senses and render him helpless in her arms.

The love she felt for the Uchiha...he wanted her to feel for him.

So even if it took a few months or years, he would wait for her.

Gaara gripped the sinking sand in his fingers. He would not let her slip like the sand in his hands. He would show her just how deep _his _love ran. He would prove to her that despite the years she spent trying to make Sasuke happy, he could make her that much happier. He sighed and glanced up at the morning sun. It would just take time.

Time to fall deeper in love with her. Time to have her fall in love with him. It would just take _time._

And while the distance between Konoha and Suna was great, the distance between their hearts was not.

He set his gaze determinedly on Chiyo's grave.

He would close the gap.

* * *

Sai thought Sakura had been a little off. It wasn't the puffiness around her eyes or the sudden nervous twitch she had developed that gave her away. It was the fact that she hid behind him, using a cactus plant to cover her ass, that gave her away. So Sai looked down at the medical ninja, his eyes wide and curious. She peeked out from under his arm only once every few seconds to keep an eye out.

Sai tensed. Was there some unseen threat that he was unaware of? His gaze shifted around the Sunagakure greenhouse. No. There was no one other than them in it. And from what he could see, Matsuri and Sari were walking by, discussing what appeared to be idle chit-chat. Well, whatever was bothering her was clearly distracting her from the task at hand. Hadn't she gone to the greenhouse to help them further their supplies? Do some gardening?

Sai wasn't familiar with the art of plants. He was getting familiar with flowers and how to deal with them thanks to working at the Yamanaka shop, but he'd much rather sit with his pad and brush all day than dig dirt. However, if this is what Sakura needed to do...

"Sakura," Sai said gently, trying to pry the woman's deathlike grip on his pants. "Please do not tear off my clothing."

"I'm not tearing off your clothing," Sakura muttered, watching as Matsuri passed beyond her line of vision, "I'm using you as a shield."

"What for?" Sai asked as Sakura tugged him closer and further to the left so her pink hair wouldn't be seen.

"Just hush up, okay?" she whispered harshly, crouching lower behind him.

Sai raised an eyebrow. Yes. Sakura was definitely off. "Are you scared of something?"

Sakura's eye twitched. The only thing she had to be afraid of was Matsuri, once she found out about Gaara's confession. The pink haired kunoichi swallowed nervously. Matsuri was supposed to be her guide, yet she dismissed her for the day through Kakashi earlier. She didn't have the spine to talk with Matsuri yet. She had encouraged the girl to go after Gaara, and now Gaara had feelings for her?

She ruffled her pink hair nervously. How could she face Matsuri like this?

"Ne, ugly," Sai said, genuinely meaning the nickname at this point, "You look exhausted. Did you have sex with Sasuke during his shifts last night?"

Sakura's temple throbbed and she smacked him upside the head before she could stop herself. Sometimes her boys were just too much.

She sighed and sank down to the ground. She didn't know what to do. She had yet to face Gaara and she was purposely avoiding Matsuri. Sasuke had no idea what was going on, and while it really wasn't any of his business when she got a confession...she was supposed to be able to confide in him with things like this, right? She groaned. Where was Ino when she needed her most?

She stopped herself. She glanced at Sai. Maybe he would do as a replacement...

"S-Sai," Sakura said with a crooked smile, "Wh-When guys hit on Ino...does she talk to you about it?"

The artist gave her a blank look. "Guys hit on Ino?"

Sakura sweat dropped.

That'd be a big fat, 'no.'

"W-Well, let's say someone s-said they loved you," Sakura said, blushing. She started fiddling with the mountain of dirt by her feet. "W-Would you tell Ino?"

Sai stared at her. "This scenario is hypothetical?"

Sakura nodded fervently.

Sai folded his arms. "Now, in this hypothetical situation, do I value my life?"

The pink haired kunoichi blinked. "...yeah?"

Sai smiled. "Well, if I valued my life, then I wouldn't tell her."

Sakura fell over.

* * *

"Sakura's...acting strange," Sasuke said, as he sat with his sensei in the Kazekage's living room.

Kakashi looked up at his former student with one eyebrow raised. "She's a woman."

Sasuke sent him a glare. "...Stranger than usual."

Kakashi hummed, closing his book and setting it down on the coffee table. He leaned back in his chair and watched Sasuke's eyes in amusement. For him to bring up Sakura in such a way, must have meant that she was off. True, she had forced him to dismiss Matsuri for the day, insisting that it was too much to have a formal guard from Suna following her around. He found it a little odd, seeing as they had seemed to be getting along nicely the previous few days...

"Stranger, how?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke set his gaze on his sensei's eye. "She's been exhausted all day." He sneered. "Is that even good for a medical ninja? To be so exhausted?"

Kakashi coughed, trying to hide his laughter. "I suppose not." He lowered his hand. "But it's her decision."

"Ch," Sasuke scoffed, turning his face away.

Her decision...Well, if she accidentally cut further into a patient than she wanted because she was dozing off, _he _wasn't going to be blamed.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said, "Are you..._concerned _about Sakura?"

The Uchiha's jaw tightened.

Kakashi chuckled. "Sasuke, if you're so worried, why don't you ask her what's going on?"

True, he could ask her. In fact, he was tempted to when they had watched the sunrise together...but something told him she wasn't ready to share. And that irritated him. In relationships, were people supposed to keep secrets? Were they supposed to hide things from one another? Then again, she wasn't exactly hiding it...more...

Sasuke stopped himself. What the _hell _was wrong with him? He didn't worry about women. Sakura could take care of herself. She was an adult that could make her own decisions.

So he closed his eyes and leaned back against the couch. He'd just have to think about something else.

...

But she looked so _tired..._

Sasuke growled to himself. Fuck this. He was going to find out what was wrong with her. If not that day, then the next. No woman of his was going to be run into the ground by exhaustion.

* * *

_"I came as you asked," Sakura said, standing before the Kazekage._

_He smiled gently and held out a hand. "Come. I want to hear your answer."_

_Sakura tried to speak, but the words would not come out._

_He stared at her. "If you cannot answer, then you must stay here until you can."_

_"G-Gaara," Sakura gasped, leaping up from the edge of the bed and away from him. "I-I can't...you...you can't..."_

_Gaara, still having hold of her hand, tugged her back gently to him. He wanted her to be near him._

_"Undress for me," Gaara had said as Sakura sat down beside him on his bed._

_She gasped at his command. He did not move an inch, but with his control of sand, he tugged at the corner of her shirt. When Sakura had come to his room at midnight in order to plan out an escape from Konoha, this was not what she had imagined. Still though, the gaze in his eyes drew her to desire, and all purpose of her visit was lost._

_"I can do it," she said shakily._

_Gaara halted his sand and waited patiently._

_Sakura gripped her shirt and swallowed. She slid it up her body, stretching as she exposed her stomach and chest to him. Plump, perk breasts spilled over her white sports bra. Strands of pink hair fell over her blushing cheeks and then swayed around her when she removed the shirt entirely and dropped it to the floor._

_A slow smile spread on her lips. She was enjoying herself. Her delicate fingers traced invisible lines over those mouthwatering mounds of flesh. She rose, her eyes never leaving the Kazekage's as she unhooked her skirt and let it fall to the floor. It slid down her muscular thighs._

_Gaara's heart pounded in his chest, matching the throbbing in his cock._

_"Sakura," he said coolly._

_"Gaara," Sakura murmured, approaching him and laying her knees on either side of him._

_Her mouth covered his. Her kiss was hot, and ready for action. He scraped her lower lip with his teeth and then ran his tongue over the spot he had just nipped, leaving her mouth warm and moist._

_"We're going to give you pleasure like you've never known," Gaara stated._

_We?_

_Sakura's brow furrowed, but with the Kazekage ripping off her spandex shorts and having his sand tear apart her sports bra, she couldn't stop to question him._

_Gaara lowered his head, burying it in the cleavage placed on display. His hair tickled her chest, and she ran her hands through it, arching into him. He gripped her thighs, spreading her legs and exposing her to fresh air. Moisture seeped from inside her, soaking his tunic. The fabric rubbed over her oversensitive flesh. Every inch of her was raw with desire. Fire burned deep inside of her as his hands moved over her slowly, torturing her. She wanted more—needed more._

_He ran his tongue between her breasts. The need for him to take her consumed her senses. Powerful hands clasped her head, fingers tangling in her hair as he pulled her mouth down to his. Her mouth was suddenly too wet. She was drooling over a large feast only Gaara was able to give her. But damn it, she couldn't wait to taste him._

_"Closer," she whispered against his mouth, almost begging._

_Gaara's expression didn't change as he picked her up and gently placed her on the bed. Her hands tugged at the tunic he wore and he helped her get it off of him. Next his shirt. As the material slinked off of his shoulders, Sakura took in his beautiful abs._

_She looked up at him. Next, of course, was his shield._

_It dropped immediately, sand sprawling all over the floor, pouring into the crevices of the wood. But Gaara did not care. He gripped her thighs and spread them open. A tongue soothed her sweltering ache and then sank deep inside of her. She groaned, arching her hips up and begged for more._

_But then, another pair of hands grabbed her breasts, pulling and kneading them. Sakura slowly opened her eyes to look into Sasuke's deep, dark ones. She blinked in surprise and opened her mouth to explain when he covered her lips with his. Gaara was still paying attention to her soaking wet entrance._

_"She's beautiful," he spoke between her legs, his hot breath torturing her soaked pussy._

_Then he lowered his mouth and sucked on her clit gently, sending sparks inside her. Thousands of nerve endings sizzled inside her body, making her shudder and push her closer to Sasuke. Gaara let his teeth rub over her swollen flesh, sending her over the edge. She moaned loudly as her world toppled over, every inch of her exploding and the pressure breaking inside her while her juices soaked her inner thighs, filling the room with her delicious aroma._

_"Heh," Sasuke said with a smirk, "Look at her come."_

_Sakura blushed from their approval, but immediately went into action when she felt Sasuke's cock against her lips. She felt it grow as she lapped at his hard shaft. Gaara, not one to be left out, crawled on the bed, his pants long forgotten as he placed her hand over his cock. She let her fingers move up and down it, her insides relaxing after coming. More than anything, she wanted to show the both of them how well she could take care of them. She grew more and more confident as his steel shaft bucked in her hand._

_"She's enjoying herself."_

_Sasuke's voice had turned husky._

_When he pulled his cock from her mouth, she licked her numb lips. They seemed tingly and swollen, but she didn't care. She loved the taste of him._

_"Did you really think I didn't know you snuck out of your bedroom?" Sasuke asked, making her sit up and pushing her onto Gaara._

_She felt the Kazekage's presence inside of her and she gasped. "S-Sasuke-kun!"_

_"Did you honestly believe I wasn't going to figure out that you were here?" he sneered, shoving himself inside of her tight ass._

_Suddenly searing pain shot through her, and it seemed like the bed had fallen out from underneath her. The quick, shooting pain faded into a pressure that filled her, impaling every inch of her so she couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Sasuke's cock sank deep into her ass, her own come easing his way._

_The two dicks__—Gaara in her vagina and Sasuke in her ass__—stretched and rubbed her, building an ache inside of her beyond compare. She was going to explode, filled with so much cock that she would burst into a million pieces and just die from the pleasure that attacked every inch of her._

_Throbbing from the pleasure mixed with pain, she succumbed to her orgasm. It stole away her breath. It shaded her sight. She couldn't think. But deep inside, she knew she never wanted this moment to end._

_"I thought you loved me," Sasuke growled._

_"N-Nani?" Sakura asked, the corners of her vision cloudy from her ecstasy._

_"Uchiha, she's mine," Gaara snarled._

_Panting and gasping for air, she barely had the strength to keep herself up on her hands and knees. All she could do was ride through the sensations that attacked her as the two men pounded her pussy and ass._

_Gaara suddenly pulled out of her vagina, managing to move out from underneath her. He stuffed his cock into her mouth. He was as lost in the moment as she was. The thick smell of lust in the air was hard to fight against, trying to hold out for a final orgasm as long as possible. She sucked and tasted the strong, musky liquid that soaked Gaara's dick. He thrust into her mouth and came almost immediately, hot fluid flowing down her throat and coating it in his juices before he pulled out._

_"Heh," Sasuke taunted proudly, "Came so soon, Kazekage?"_

_But Sakura could barely hear him. Sakura had collapsed, her arms and legs giving out as her own orgasm rippled through her._

_"Sakura."_

_Sasuke's voice was warm. Sincere._

_"Sakura."_

_She could still feel him inside of her._

_"Sakura, wake up."_

The pink haired kunoichi's eyes opened. She was staring straight into Sasuke's dark eyes, looking down at her with one raised eyebrow. She blinked.

Dreaming. She had been _dreaming_.

"Sakura," Sasuke said slowly, backing off of her to let her sit up. "Are you...all right?"

Sakura swallowed nervously and gripped the sheets around her tightly. She let out a laugh that was louder than necessary.

"F-Fine!" she declared haughtily. "Just fine."

Sasuke stared at her. Clearly she was _not _fine. Just looking at how much of a mess she was told him that loud and clear. He tilted his head. Were those _bags _under her eyes? She shouldn't have been so tired. She had gone to bed at an early hour...in fact, she had ran straight to her bedroom as soon as she had gotten back from the hospital.

"W-Where are Sai and Kakashi?" Sakura asked, thumbing through her hair anxiously.

"...Asleep," he replied, sinking in the mattress beside her. "I'm on guard for the next hour..."

Sakura exhaled slowly, bringing her knees to her chin and closed her eyes tiredly. She knew she would probably get about two hours of sleep the whole night. After Gaara's confession, Sakura was having difficulty functioning. She sighed. How was she supposed to _deal _with that? She had to face that redheaded Kazekage sooner or later. Shit, this was going to be awkward...

Sakura hesitantly looked at her lover. "...Sasuke...will you stay with me?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Ah."

Sakura nodded and ran a hand through her sweaty locks as she moved over in her sheets. The medical ninja yawned and rubbed the bags under her eyes tiredly. It would be a miracle if she could get through the next day without passing out.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, observing her weary behavior as he crawled into bed with her. "...Doushita no?"

Sakura sighed. Was her distress that obvious?

"N-Nandemo nai," she weakly assured him as he slipped under the covers. "I-I just need to get get some sleep."

Sasuke felt her legs wobble against his. He frowned in the dark when she pushed past her exhaustion and snuggled up to him. Something was going on with Sakura, and Sasuke was determined to find out.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Due to a busy schedule, I'm going to be updating once a week on Fridays. I hope it doesn't disappoint my faithful reviewers too much, but I'd like to update every week on a consistent schedule. Arigatou!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

The morning light twinkled against Sasuke's closed eyelids and he winced. The Uchiha shifted against the warmth of Sakura's body as she slept cozily beside him. His eyes shot open, double checking it _was _her, refusing to have another Sai/Naruto incident happen ever again. Seeing the pink hair nuzzled against his nose, he sighed in relief. Good. It was her.

He had drifted off to sleep beside her, allowing the snakes Gō and Chō to guard the door...not that they were needed. Being a ninja meant being able to wake up to the smallest sounds. So when the breathing of a third party came just outside their door, Sasuke was ready. He carefully snuck out of Sakura's arms and leapt from the bed silently, the sheet staying over his lover's body as he did so.

He didn't make a sound as he landed on the hard wood floor, a feat for any ninja to truly master, but for an Uchiha, this was nothing. He walked casually toward the door, swung it open, and eyed Kakashi with a lazy look. His old sensei peered over his shoulder at the sleeping kunoichi, to which Sasuke immediately stepped in his line of vision, giving the white haired ninja a glare.

Kakashi motioned for Sasuke to come out, which he willingly obliged. He closed the door behind him, making sure not a peep was heard. They immediately walked down the hall, where their own shared room was, and a sleeping Sai was awoken. He tiredly rubbed his eyes and watched as Kakashi and Sasuke entered the bedroom.

The door closed with a 'click.' Immediately, Kakashi rounded on his student.

"While I'm all for deepening your relationship, you _could_ try not to 'do it' on your guard duty," he mused.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly at his off base innuendo. "She asked me to stay."

Sai raised his eyebrows. "You slept with her on duty?"

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek in irritation. Were they really going to make a bigger deal out of this than necessary?

"Something is wrong with Sakura," he said, ignoring Sai's question, "She hasn't been sleeping well the past few days."

Kakashi sized up his former pupil. He felt a grin coming from behind his mask and tried to suppress it. While Sasuke clearly had feelings for the medical ninja, he really did have difficulty showing his feelings. Now though...now he was opening up a little, and actually expressing his concern. This was the second time in two days that he had brought up his concern for Sakura. How interesting...

"Well, it is normal to be sore after coitus," Sai insisted, "Sometimes Ino can't sleep for days when we go at it."

Sasuke's eye twitched. "We didn't have sex."

The artist blinked. "...So you _are _gay..."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to take her while they were on a mission. While yes, they had managed to escape here and there for a few dates, and he was perfectly aware of their growing attraction for one another, it wasn't something he planned on doing in the Kazekage's home...Something about taking Sakura in Gaara's sheets didn't sound too pleasing to him.

He shook away the thought. He needed to return to Sakura. He glanced at his sensei.

"If there isn't anything else you have to say other than reprimanding me for my way of guarding her, then I'll be going," Sasuke said dryly.

"Oh," Kakashi said, his tone teasing, "I wasn't reprimanding you." All traces of humor left his voice. "The fact that Sakura hasn't been sleeping well is what's concerning me. We're leaving tomorrow in the morning for Konoha, and if she hasn't gotten much sleep over the past few days, then traveling might be a bit hard on her."

Sasuke frowned. Was the white haired ninja suggesting they lengthen their stay? Ridiculous. Sasuke wasn't about to let the tension between himself and the Kazekage last longer than it already had. After all, Sakura wasn't a prize to be won. If she was, Sasuke would already have her on his mantel, safely inside of his home by now. No, she was a woman capable of making her own choices.

If there was anything he had learned throughout the years of being by her side, it was that she was a fiery woman with a temper to match. He smirked. As if the Kazekage could handle her heat. Ch. Yes, that independent woman of his was fantastically fearsome.

"Should we stay an extra day?" Sai asked, his brow furrowing.

"No," Kakashi said truthfully, "Sakura's needed back at Konoha. She's the head medical ninja and she's already been gone long enough." He frowned behind his mask. "Besides, if she knew we were discussing the possibility of her inability to travel well, she'd probably kill us."

Sasuke and Sai sweat dropped. She had insisted on being treated equally throughout the years, being one of the legendary Sannin and on equal ground with both Naruto and Sasuke. Therefore, if any one of the men from her team treated her as 'weak,' she'd take a soldier pill, snap it in her teeth and push on harder. Whatever the decision, they needed to handle the situation delicately.

"Ah," Sasuke agreed, folding his arms. "We just need to keep an eye on her today to see if she's fit for tomorrow."

"And if she isn't?" Sai asked.

Sasuke shot him a glare. "She will be."

Angered by the lack of faith in his lover, Sasuke stalked off toward the door. How dare he insinuate that she couldn't do something as simple as travel properly? While yes, her sleep dilemma was bothersome, it didn't mean she would be dragging them behind schedule. She worked hard every day to be able to stand side by side with him and Naruto. Something like sleep deprivation was nothing for a kunoichi like her.

"But if she isn't?" Kakashi asked Sasuke curiously.

Sasuke paused, stopping as he placed his hand on the doorknob. He clenched his jaw tightly.

"If she isn't," Sasuke muttered, his voice echoing through the silent room, "I will take care of her."

* * *

Sakura took a deep breath as she sipped on her green tea. She could do this. She eyed the Kazekage who absentmindedly chewed on his omelet, occasionally looking up at her with a soft look in his eyes. Kakashi and Sai sat at the table alongside the silent pair while Kankurō and Sasuke stood behind their designated charges. Silence had never been loud to Sakura until that morning.

She stared down at her uneaten food, shifting uncomfortably in her chair every few moments. The wood beneath her creaked as she did, catching the attention of everyone in the room. She stopped when she felt everyone's eyes on her. Face hot and heart pounding, Sakura bit her lower lip. This wasn't the time Lee confessed to her in the Daiyonjūyon Enshūjō during the Chūnin exams. This was the Kazekage's serious love confession that she had been avoiding dealing with since the previous day.

She nervously looked up at the redhead who was now sipping at his hot tea. She swallowed, the gulping noise causing his eyes to look into hers.

"Sakura," Gaara said, the first word he had spoken to her since he confessed, "What is it?"

"I want to thank you for letting us stay in your home during our visit to Suna," Sakura answered, surprised her voice wasn't shaking, but strong and pushing forward.

"Ah," Gaara said, his eyes unwavering as he set his cup down on the table beside his empty plate.

He watched her bite her lower lip thoughtfully. She still had more to say to him. When her gaze shifted, looking at Kakashi and then tilting her head a little back to catch a snippet of the man behind her, Gaara knew what she wanted to say to him was something she didn't want others to hear.

"Sakura," he said, drawing her attention away from Sasuke's presence and back to him. He wasn't a jealous man, but he had to admit the sensation was something that pleased him. "For your last night in Suna...I would like you to join me." He tilted his head, the corners of his eyes softening. "There is something I would like to show you."

Sakura's eyebrows rose. So he had sensed her hesitancy to say more in front of her friends. She smiled, her bangs shifting forward as she tilted her head down to her lap. She still hadn't talked to Sasuke about Gaara's confession, and truthfully, she didn't want to. Not until she had dealt with it her own way. While she felt confident enough to talk with him about it, she wanted to make a decision for herself. A decision that wouldn't have the pressure of the Uchiha behind her...

Sakura sweat dropped as she felt his eyes bore on the back of her neck.

"Hai, Gaara," she replied.

Gaara turned his gaze from Sakura to Sasuke. Leaning against the wall, with one knee bent, the cool and collected heir stared at him. Eyes dark and challenging, Gaara knew that he wasn't going to give Sakura to him without a fight. He felt the corner of his lip twitch upward. Well, he only had one day left to spend with her until she returned to Konoha...he might as well make the most of it.

"Kankurō," Gaara said, his gaze shifting back to Sakura. "Consider yourself free for the evening."

His brother's eyes widened. He was rarely ever dismissed from Gaara's side. It normally only ever occurred when he was mad at him or he wanted to be alone with Naruto. Kankurō stared down at the blushing pink haired kunoichi. Was she the cause for his sudden dismissal? True, he knew Gaara had confessed to the medical ninja and while he disapproved, he was secretly rooting for his younger brother to win her heart.

He failed to hide a smug grin as he hummed his approval. "Ah. Arigatou."

Sakura frowned. Was tonight's discussion meant to be in private? If that was the case...she glanced over at Kakashi. Noticing her stare, he looked up from his erotic novel and caught her eye. He noticed her jade orbs silently pleading with him. If she had to be guarded, she'd prefer he be on duty. Kakashi sighed.

"Sakura," the white haired ninja said slowly, "Would you like to be alone with Gaara-sama tonight?"

She nervously swallowed. She should have known better than to try and get Kakashi to help her out of a sticky situation. Now she was in a more awkward position than before. Sakura bit her lower lip, and fidgeted with the napkin in her lap. How would she answer such a question? If she said, 'yes,' then suspicions would be aroused...if she said, 'no,' then she and Gaara wouldn't be able to speak freely...

She tilted her head back in contemplation. Then again, if Gaara wanted to truly speak freely, he would have just asked her to come to his room instead of calling her out directly. She pursed her lips.

"Mou," Sakura finally said, "Why don't you all take the night off? I'm sure you want to have a guys' night after guarding me for so long." She grinned cheekily at Sai who had halted eating his breakfast. "You can always keep one of your clones nearby...or watch from a close distance." She shrugged casually. "It doesn't really matter."

Kakashi closed his eye. In order to avoid an uncomfortable situation with Sasuke, she made it seem like she didn't care whether or not her comrades were there. However, he saw the look in her eyes. Something was up between Gaara and Sakura...this conversation was confirmation of that. Well, whatever it was, Kakashi wasn't going to stop it.

His one good eye shot open as Sasuke walked out of the room.

But maybe the Uchiha would...

* * *

"Oi, ugly," Sai said cheerfully as Sakura shoved her head further against the mahogany wood desk and ground her wide forehead against the smooth surface. "Is this part of your job description?"

Sakura raised her chin so she could meet his gaze. Sai smiled. Maybe she shouldn't have looked up...The medical ninja had managed to hide her exhaustion early that morning, but with the sun high in the sky and her tired eyes drooping, there was no amount of make up she could apply to conceal the dark circles. Sai stared at her and backed away from her into the cream wall behind him.

"Urusai," she ground out.

His smile twitched. "What are you and Gaara-sama going to be doing tonight?"

Sakura sighed, and shuffled the paperwork in front of her. It was basic client information that she had to submit to the Sunagakure hospital, but it was taking her _forever._ She sank her cheek into her palm and her fingers wrapped around her pink locks.

"I don't know," she said, a tinge of worry in her voice.

Maybe he was angry with her for avoiding him the previous day. Or perhaps he was going to demand for her answer.

Sakura shook the thought away immediately. No, Gaara had said he would wait for her answer. He wasn't going to ask her anything she didn't want to do. He had already confessed. Her brow furrowed. But what could he want?

A knock at the door drew the attention of Sakura and pulled her out of her thoughts. A small smile spread across her face and she stood to greet her guest.

"Matsuri," Sakura said, her fingers pressing against her desk. "I'm glad you came."

Sai's eyebrows rose in surprise at the sight of her. After the way Sakura had been acting the previous day, what with attempting to rid him of his clothes in the greenhouse, he was shocked to see her acting so calm in the same room together.

The brunette smiled shyly at the Sannin and then eyed Sai. "You called, so..."

Sakura laughed and nodded, motioning for her friend to come inside. Matsuri took a step in the room and bit her lower lip. She had been dismissed by Sakura the previous day, and she had thought she had done something wrong. Was Sakura calling her to explain her incompetency? In that case, did she need to apologize?

Immediately, Matsuri bowed her head low in front of the pink haired kunoichi. "Gomenasai!" She shut her eyes tightly, hoping the reprimanding wouldn't be too harsh. "Honto gomenasai!"

Sakura blinked. "A-Ano, M-Matsuri..."

"Sakura-sama, gomenasai!" she pushed onward, "I-I don't know what I did, but I didn't mean to be worthless during your stay!"

Sakura sweat dropped. "M-Matsuri."

"If I offended you in any way, please punish me immediately!"

"Matsuri!" Sakura yelled, blushing madly. "Sit down, relax." She scratched her neck anxiously. "I just wanted to apologize."

Sai and Matsuri stared at her. Both tilted their heads simultaneously.

"Sai, could you give a few minutes?" Sakura asked politely.

"Ah," Sai said, uncomfortably, exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

Women. He would never understand.

With the click of the door, and the slide of Matsuri's seat, the two women looked at one another in brief silence. Sakura eyed the girl who was now wringing her outfit nervously. Sakura felt uncomfortable. If anyone should apologize, it would have to be her.

"Gomenasai," Sakura said, bending forward as Matsuri had done just a few moments before. "I dismissed you the other day because I couldn't face you." She straightened her back and smiled down at the confused girl. "But now I'm ready."

Matsuri, befuddled, stared at the Sannin. What did Sakura have to apologize for?

Sakura took a deep breath nervously. She had already lost a good friend once before due to petty pride and a meaningless rivalry. Ino and Sakura had long since put it behind them, but the anxiety Sakura felt from it still remained in her heart. She was going to have to deal with her fear.

"You're a friend, Matsuri," Sakura pushed forward, "And I know you have feelings for Gaara."

Matsuri's ears tinted red. "S-Sakura-sama..."

"So you'll be the first to know about it," Sakura said truthfully. She shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself for a cat fight. "Gaara confessed to me."

"..."

Silence. The hum of the wind outside was deafening and Sakura couldn't bring herself to peek open even one of her eyes. Still though, she had to face her friend with an honest gaze, so she pried open her tired eyes to look at the shocked girl. But instead of tears and a temper, a smile pulled at the corner of her lips. Sakura covered her mouth in horror. It was worse than she had imagined.

"Gomen," Sakura said quickly, leaping over her desk and taking Matsuri's hands in her own, "I-I just thought you needed to know and—"

The sound of a slap echoed in her ears before she could process what was happening. Had she been slapped? There wasn't a stinging in her cheek. She felt the pain in her fingers though. Matsuri had taken her palms and forcefully slammed them against her own cheeks. Sakura let out an exhale of shock.

"Arigatou, Sakura-sama," Matsuri said, the painful smile still on her face. "I needed that." She looked guiltily at the pink haired kunoichi. "I was feeling jealous, so I just..."

Sakura enveloped the girl in a tight hug. She knew all too well the pains of an unrequited love. Although Matsuri's was not as deep as hers, the two would bond over those bittersweet feelings. The feeling of loving someone who might never return what you give. The feeling of wanting to cheer them on even as they break your heart. The feeling of watching their back as they turn on you. All of those bittersweet feelings...Sakura's heart hurt for her friend.

"I know we're not close," Sakura said, hot tears dripping on her shoulder, "But you're my friend." She swallowed, the saliva trailing down her throat like burning acid. "And I'll be here for you through this pain."

Matsuri sniffled. "I'm not crying because I'm sad, Sakura-sama."

The pink haired kunoichi froze.

She wasn't?

Sakura pulled away slowly, letting a thumb wipe away the tears from Matsuri's eyes. She took in the smile once more, and her brow furrowed. Matsuri wasn't sad? She just found out that the person she loved had affections for another woman. If Sasuke had asked any other woman to rebuild his clan, she would be on the floor for weeks. Sakura's hand dropped to her side.

"I'm crying because I'm _happy,_" Matsuri choked out.

Happy.

She was _happy?_

"Gaara-sama has experienced so much pain throughout the years," Matsuri said, the smile unwavering on her face, "I was scared he wasn't able to love again after everything...but—" She broke off, letting out the most delightful laugh Sakura had ever heard in her life. "The fact that he asked you..." She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't describe how happy I am."

And then it hit Sakura. Like a wave of sand in a desert storm, Sakura was drowning in gold light. She let out a chuckle herself. She had worried for nothing. Matsuri's love was as deep as her own. Sakura tilted her head to the side, trying to keep the peals of laughter from coming out, but they wouldn't stop. Matsuri knew the pain of one sided love, just as well as she did.

The two did not speak for a while after that, curled up in balls on the medical office's floor from their laughter. But when they finally were able to speak, they chose not to. Like Sakura, Matsuri was overwhelmed with joy to find a kindred spirit.

And it was a feeling neither of them was ever going to let go of.

* * *

"I'm assuming you're angry," Kakashi said, dodging Sasuke's blow as he leapt back against the cooling sand. "You haven't said a word to Sakura all day and the only thing you've demanded from me is to spar with you."

Kakashi blocked his kick before jumping a few feet back. He stared at his silent former student, his eyes cold and calculating. After Sasuke had left the Kazekage's dining room, he hadn't bothered to stop by and see Sakura unless it was for his shift as her guard. They hadn't spoken, mainly because Sakura was in an operating room when he had been on duty, but Kakashi was positive the Uchiha was livid.

Drenched in sweat, and nearly exhausted, the pair had been going at it for the past two hours. Training in the desert had its advantages, but damn, was that sand hard to move in. No wonder Suna's ninja were so strong in their legs. Bruises their flawless, shirtless bodies and both were out of breath, but they were still going hard.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said, dodging another punch and throwing kunai his way. "It's not good to keep quiet." He frowned behind his mask. "Are you even concerned about Sakura?"

Sasuke disappeared before his former sensei's eyes, and knocked the air out of him while he jabbed his elbow into the white haired ninja's back. Kakashi coughed and winced. Right. Maybe poking the bear wasn't the wisest decision at this point.

Sasuke dodged Kakashi's swipe and flipped him on his back. The clone disappeared. Sasuke grimaced as the real Kakashi shoved his fist into his stomach through the puff of smoke. Kakashi wasn't as tough as Naruto, so he couldn't fully get his frustration out. He found it interesting that fighting things out with his sensei couldn't beat the irritation out of him.

It was funny how with any other issue, he could get all of his anger out. But for some reason, when it came to Sakura, there was no amount of sheer exhaustion that would do. No. He needed to solve his anger with her by 'talking things out.' He let out a sneer scoff at the mere thought. Talking things out...How could he talk things out with her? What was he going to say? 'I don't want you to go with the Kazekage?'

He shook his head and leapt off of the ground to go kunai to kunai with Kakashi. As metal clashed against metal, the pair disappeared into the pink sky. Invisible to the naked eye, but fighting nonstop, the duo halted when their weapons pressed hard against one another.

Sasuke let his guard down, just briefly to look at the first star of the evening. Kakashi took his chance and stabbed his pupil in the chest. The illusion vanished and he glanced over his shoulder at Sasuke who was walking away.

"Arigatou," he said cockily, raising one hand in the air for acknowledgement. He tilted his head back over his shoulder and gave Kakashi a snide smirk. "_Sensei._"

Kakashi felt chills run down his spine. He didn't have to ask where he was headed. They'd be lucky if they left Suna without a war starting. Something told him Sunagakure wouldn't be too happy with the Uchiha once he killed their Kazekage.

* * *

"Gaara," Sakura said, feeling her cheeks turn pink as she walked side by side with the Kazekage in his garden.

Sakura was slightly surprised to see so many beautiful flowers in the desert, but Gaara had assured her they were all different forms of cacti. It seemed to be a private garden at the back of the village where no one was permitted to enter without his approval. Sakura felt a little embarrassed to be able to walk through it with him.

"Gaara," she repeated shakily, her fingers trembling, "We're leaving tomorrow."

"Ah," Gaara said, amused at her stating the obvious due to nerves.

Sakura swallowed, her feet sinking in the sand as she walked. The stars were out and the moon was a beautiful sliver of silver.

"Sakura," he said, slicing through her thoughts, "Your mind is far away." He brushed the back of his hand against hers. "I would like you to be here, in this moment." He let his fingers slide in between hers. "...With me."

Sakura's pounding heart was thumping in her ears now, and she could barely breathe. "G-Gaara—"

He let go of her hand immediately and stared at her. "Gomen."

Gaara immediately began to walk away from her, toward the bench in the midst of his spiky garden. He motioned for her to sit by him. She did as he silently asked, carefully sitting on the edge of the seat, turned toward her superior. Her brow furrowed.

"Something is troubling you," Gaara said coolly, "And you have been avoiding me."

Sakura didn't deny it. "I needed to clear my head."

Gaara eyed the pink haired kunoichi, her green eyes filled with confusion and mixed emotions. "Tell me."

Sakura smiled gently at him, the shimmering sky reflected in her beautiful jade orbs. He felt his heart clench. She was gorgeous. Even as she bore the Uchiha emblem on her back, even as she turned to love another man...Gaara couldn't help but find her breathtaking.

"I've been thinking about your feelings for me," she said slowly.

Gaara closed his eyes. If this was a rejection, he did not want to hear it. Not out of stubbornness, but out of annoyance. Hadn't he told her he would wait for her? Just as the moon waits for the sun to rise, so would he wait for her.

He flinched when she touched his hand, still not used to such affectionate

"You already know my answer," Sakura said once he reopened his eyes, "So I don't have to say it."

Gaara's gaze was unwavering. "You have been losing sleep over this."

Sakura chuckled and shook her head. "Sleep deprivation...is something I'm used to."

Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity. "...When I was younger, I was so terrified of allowing the Shukaku to take over my body, I rarely slept."

Sakura bit her lower lip. He was so open and honest about it. She averted her gaze to the beautiful pink bud at her feet. Could she be as open and honest with him?

She smiled sadly. "...I have nightmares."

Gaara looked at her in concern, waiting for her to continue.

"The night that Sasuke left the village," she said softly, tucking a pink tuft behind her ear, "It...replays in my mind...quite a bit." She felt her cheeks cool and watched as her tears fell on the palms of her hands. "So...I'm used to it."

Gaara placed a hand over hers, reassuringly. She felt the warmth spread through her knuckles and she shut her eyes tightly. Why was she _crying? _It wasn't like Sasuke was gone. He was there. He had come back to the village...back to her. The tears though...they kept falling. Building up and spilling over like the love in her heart for the man who had betrayed her.

And that fear of him leaving her again...

She shuddered.

Gaara immediately threw his cloak over her, mistaking her shudder of fear for a shudder of cold. The sentiment was appreciated. Tear stained, and shivering, she looked up at him weakly, only to feel his lips on hers. Too surprised to do anything, his warm lips lingered on hers for a moment longer before he pulled away slowly. His fingers in her hair, and cupping her cheeks, Gaara looked at her with such passionate emotion.

"I would never leave you," he murmured softly.

"G-Gaara," she gasped, unable to move from shock.

Sakura's eyes widened as she watched a shadow shift in the moonlight behind Gaara.

Suddenly, she saw two red eyes staring at her and the blood drained from her face.

"S-Sasuke!"


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Long story short: 1) My computer crashed 2) My friend went into a state of paralysis so I've been busy taking care of him (he's all good today and can move now)**

**I'll be updating on Fridays as mentioned in my previous chapter. Sorry to worry everyone!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Gaara didn't have to look to know Sasuke was there. He had felt him long before he showed up. Unlike the previous night when the Uchiha had surprised both Sakura and the Kazekage, he made his presence detectable. Gaara did not move his eyes from Chiyo's grave. He would wait for Sasuke to move. Even as Sasuke's feet sank deep in the freezing sand, the sun having just risen, Gaara did not budge. Intimidation was something that did not sit well with the redhead.

Not like the clan heir would be able to attack him. If he did, it would be a declaration of war from Konoha, and Naruto would not be pleased. No, Sasuke knew better than to directly attack Gaara. Especially with Kankurō watching nearby and Kakashi just beyond the Uchiha. Gaara felt a twinge of amusement. Did the white haired ninja not trust his former student enough to let him out of his sights? Was he that concerned that Sasuke would betray his own village's peace treaty?

The shifting sand slowed until Sasuke came to a halt directly behind Gaara. The Kazekage closed his eyes calmly. Sasuke would not lay a hand on him. But there was something he wanted; otherwise he wouldn't be there. Perhaps to scold him, or maybe he just wanted to have a 'friendly' duel to fight over the medical ninja. Whatever it was, the moment Gaara knew he loved Sakura was the moment he was ready to go head to head with the Uchiha.

Sasuke watched the Kazekage's back with cold, calculating eyes. The boy who once played with bloodied sand now had build his castle nice and tall, firm and strong. Adding water here and there to make sure everything would stay in place. But his sand castle started crumbling the moment he decided it would be a good idea to move in on Sakura. The walls he had so carefully carved would shatter before he even realized what was happening. And the towers he had designed specifically for the pink haired kunoichi would be the first to fall. Sasuke would see to it. Sasuke would smash that damn kid's sand castle, like the bully he was. All it took was one blow.

And so he came. He came at dawn to find the bold redhead who had tried to take what Sasuke had so desperately tried to hold onto. The very idea of someone trying to take her away...

Sasuke's fingers curled and clenched into a fist.

It was enough to make him thirst for blood.

Gaara could feel the killing intent from behind him. His eyes were still glued to Chiyo's grave. No, Sasuke wouldn't dare try anything with Kakashi and Kankurō close by. If he had wanted to talk, wouldn't he have said something by now though?

Gaara narrowed his eyes. Remaining silent wasn't getting them anywhere.

So he spoke.

"As your friend and comrade," Gaara said softly, "I apologize for betraying your trust."

Sasuke watched the Kazekage's back. He was silent, eyes set on the slow moving shoulders that signaled his breathing.

"But as your rival," he continued, "I have nothing to apologize for."

Sasuke didn't say anything. He figured as much. Although, he was tempted to sneer at the Kazekage. He shouldn't have flattered himself. A rival? No. The only rival worth mentioning was the baka Hokage. A child that played with sand was no match for an Uchiha.

"Heh, too scared to look me in the eye?" he scoffed in a low voice.

Gaara closed his eyes in amusement. Childish jabs? Was that really all the Uchiha had to bring him? He had heard about his wild temper and almost humorous sarcasm from Naruto, and _this _was all he could manage? The redhead felt his lip twinge almost into a smile. Maybe he had been expecting too much.

"I am merely paying my respects," he replied coolly. "Sakura holds Chiyo-baasama dear to her heart." He opened his eyes. "And so do I."

Sasuke glowered. Was Gaara trying to insinuate that he and Sakura had a closer bond because of a dead woman beneath his feet?

"Ah," he hummed sarcastically, "But Chiyo-baasama's not the only one you hold dear to your heart."

Gaara turned to face the Uchiha. Their eyes met, and Kankurō, who was just a few feet from Gaara, could have sworn he saw the end of the world in a flash. Red and green eyes staring at one another. Not a blink nor a falter in their gazes.

"I love her," Gaara stated calmly.

Sasuke felt the breeze in the air brush by his dark locks on the back of his neck.

"Can you say the same thing?" the Kazekage asked.

Sasuke kept his gaze locked on the redhead. A challenge coming from the man who tried to take what was clearly not his. The Kazekage who stole a kiss. Sasuke bit back a laugh.

"Interesting," he sneered, "Coming from a thief."

"This," Gaara replied monotonously, "Coming from a traitor."

Yes. Even the Uchiha had to admit he was slithery as a snake. His fangs, dripping with venom, sank deep into Sakura's veins and shot poison straight to her heart. He was a traitor, all right.

But then realization flickered in Gaara's eyes. Normally with the word 'traitor,' Kankurō would be agreeing or laughing. But there was nothing coming from him...

Sasuke frowned.

"Kankurō did not laugh," Gaara said, his gaze shifting to his brother who was now looking at him with confusion.

Sasuke's frown relaxed. So he had figured it out already.

"This is an illusion," the Kazekage continued. He tilted his head back toward the Uchiha. "It's been one since we met eyes."

Sasuke didn't say anything. While Gaara was correct in thinking that this was an illusion, it wasn't the only genjutsu Sasuke was managing at that point. He had placed Kankurō under one the moment he arrived. According to the Kazekage's brother, Gaara was still kneeling at Chiyo's grave while Sasuke was standing silently behind him.

And Kakashi...Sasuke shifted his eyes back toward the rock his sensei hid behind. There was no need to try and fool him. He was watching and waiting to see if he would attack. Ch. Such little faith.

"There are two possible reasons you did this," Gaara said, "Either you're going to attack me." His eyes turned cold. "Or you're going to talk with me."

Sasuke stood firm as he threw his arms over his chest, folding them over his muscular torso. "If I wanted to attack you, I would have already done so." He smirked. "And you'd be dead at my feet by now."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. "Jealousy doesn't suit you."

"Sakura doesn't suit you," Sasuke replied harshly.

Gaara paused. If they were just going to go back and forth with angry banter, then there was no need for the guise of illusions. He tilted his head and folded his arms, his posture mimicking that of the Uchiha's. There was something Sasuke needed to say. Something he didn't want anyone else to hear.

"What do you want?" Gaara asked. "Since you haven't attacked, are you here to talk?"

Sasuke didn't say anything. Instead, Gaara was immediately plunged into darkness, the world around him warping and spinning into nothingness. They kept their gaze on one another. But then, suddenly, _her _voice echoed.

"I knew you'd come this way," she said, her voice trembling, "If you were to leave…So I just waited here…"

In the darkness, a small circle of light penetrated and immediately expanded, showing Gaara and Sasuke the night he left the village. Gaara tensed and looked away, watching as a younger Sasuke approached Sakura, his bag on his back. He walked along the path toward the village entrance. He had an indifferent look on his face; similar to the one he was wearing now.

"Get out of here," the young Sasuke said. He gave her a look before adding on, "And go back to sleep."

He walked past her, and the onlookers watched as the tears fell from her eyes. Gaara stared at the pink haired kunoichi, her tears triggering an unusual feeling in his chest. What _was _it? His eyes widened slightly. Pain. Pain he hadn't felt in such a long time. Her tears were hurting him. He glanced over at Sasuke, trying to measure his emotions. There was nothing to give away how he was feeling as he watched on. His eyes never left Sakura, so Gaara turned back to watch the scene unfold.

"Why don't you say anything to me?" she asked, turning to look at his back. "Why do you always keep so quiet?" Her gaze turned downward and her voice trailed off as she said her final piece, "You never say a single word to me…"

"I told you," the young Sasuke said impatiently, "I don't need your help. Don't try to look after me…"

She suddenly smiled. "No matter what, you always hate me, don't you…" He didn't answer, so she continued. "You remember, don't you? When we became genin, the day when our three-man team was first decided…the first time we were here by ourselves."

Sasuke remained silent.

"You were so mad at me," she whispered.

"I don't remember that," his voice sliced through the stillness of the moonlit night.

"Yeah," she chuckled. "I guess you're right. That's all in the past now, huh?"

"…"

"That's when it all began though," she said with her gaze toward the rock pathway out of the village. "You and me…along with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura kept a smile on her face, as the young Sasuke closed his eyes.

"We did all sorts of missions, just the four of us," she said aloud, "It was painful and difficult at times. Even with that though…I still enjoyed it."

The young Sasuke's gaze shot up toward the full moon.

"I know about your past, Sasuke," she said suddenly. "Even if you get revenge though, it won't bring anyone happiness. Not you, Sasuke…"

Sasuke clenched his fist.

"Nor me," she added on, quietly.

"I already know."

Her eyes looked up at his back in shock at what he said.

"I'm different from you all," he explained, not looking at her. "I can't be following the same path as you guys. Up until now, we've done everything as a group. But there is something else…something else I must do."

At this point, the tears came uncontrollably from Sakura's green eyes. She couldn't seem to stop them from falling.

"Deep inside my heart," he said, "I've already decided on revenge. For that reason only, do I live." And then he let harshness control his voice. "I'll never be like you or Naruto."

"Do you really want to go back to being alone?" Sakura asked, desperately, her hand over her heart. "You told me how painful it was to be alone! Right now, I know your pain!" She swallowed and went onward. "I may have friends and family but…" Her tears fell to the pavement. "If you were to leave…"

Gaara couldn't stand hearing her cry.

"To me," she sobbed out. "To me, I would be just as alone as you."

The younger Sasuke was quiet once more, his fists clenched in his pockets.

"From here on out," he said, "We all begin new paths."

"I—" Sakura closed her eyes and shouted, "I love you with all of my heart! If you were to stay with me, there would be no regrets! Every day we'd do something fun! We'd be happy, I swear!"

Gaara hadn't had the urge to kill in years. Couldn't he see how madly in love she was with him? Why was he not looking at her? He shot a glare at Sasuke. How _dare _he treat her like that?

"I would do anything for you!" she choked out. "So…please…"

She was begging now. Ready to get on her hands and knees if that's what it took for him to stay. "Please, just stay with me…I'll even help you with your revenge! I don't know what I could do, but I'll do my best to do something. So please…stay with me."

Gaara heard the crack in her voice. It was wretched with love and desperation.

Her gaze turned bitter and she bit her tongue before saying, "Or take me with you, if you can't stay here."

Sakura bowed her head in submission.

"You really _are_ annoying."

"Don't leave!" she yelled, taking a step forward "If you do, I'll scream—!"

He was behind her in a heartbeat.

"…Sakura," he said, calmly. "Arigatou."

His fist collided with her neck, and she collapsed, whispering his name in bits and pieces. She fell into his arms and he immediately scooped her up and placed her gently on the stone bench. The tears were still fresh on her face, and the young Sasuke couldn't bring himself to wipe them away. He didn't have the right to touch her so freely after what he had done. The pain in her voice...on her face...

She would wake up crying when she found him gone. He knew what he was doing.

Even still...even still he had to do it.

So he leaned down, and gently pressed his lips to hers, savoring the sweetness of her lips before he disappeared in a flash.

It wouldn't be another three years until he saw her again.

The memory faded back into Chiyo-baasama's burial site, and Gaara and Sasuke were left alone. They stared at one another, calculating the other's reaction. Finally, the redhead spoke.

"Why did you show me that?"

Sasuke let his arms fall to his sides. "You asked me a question."

Gaara's eyes widened. Yes. He _had _asked if Sasuke could say that he loved Sakura earlier. Was this his answer?

"Your interference in our..._relationship_ is unnecessary," Sasuke said calmly. "Your protection is unneeded. Your love..." He smirked. "...has been rejected." His eyes were filled with laughter. "And as for last night...I applaud you for taking advantage of a vulnerable situation." His smirk slipped off his face. "But the one to kiss away her tears is me."

He started walking forward and Gaara showed no fear in his eyes. His feet sank in the sand as he approached his prey.

"The one who caused her pain is the one who needs to take responsibility," Sasuke ground out, eyes never leaving Gaara's. "Her love belongs to me and me alone." Sasuke held out an open palm to Gaara and crushed his fingers into a tight fist. "Her heart is mine for the taking." He sneered. "I don't need to tell you to stay away from her. I don't need to give empty threats that we both know I won't be able to carry out due to your position as the Kazekage." Sasuke stopped walking when their noses were almost touching, Gaara not budging an inch. "But I will say this...even if you manage to steal her heart. Even if you manage to snatch away her love..." Gaara found himself in a sea of red and black, the world fading away around him and with nothing but the Uchiha's eyes to keep him company. "I _will _take her back...a thousand times over. She is _mine_." His smirk turned to a soft smile. "And I am hers."

Gaara felt his heart pound in his chest. Fear. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. But then it all ended. They were back at Chiyo-baasama's grave once more, and Kankurō was standing to his left. Gaara glanced at his brother.

"You need me to take care of him?" he asked, "Or are you two gonna keep staring at each other?"

So he had been released from the illusion. He turned to face Sasuke once more whose red eyes had turned black. The Uchiha turned on his heel and started to walk away. But then suddenly, he stopped. He glanced back over his shoulder, just as he had done with Sakura, and grinned evilly at the Kazekage.

"Gaara-_sama_," Sasuke sneered, "Sakura cannot bloom in the desert." He turned his back to the Kazekage. "Because there is _nothing_ for her here."

And with that, he walked away.

* * *

"Gaara-sama?" Matsuri asked, watching the Kazekage as he stood on the balcony. "I'm here to give my report."

Gaara didn't move from his position as he stared at Team Seven walk out of Suna, slipping through the crack with their faces toward the sun. It had been an awkward departure, what with Sakura leaning into hug Gaara and Sasuke immediately turning to leave, grabbing her hand and yanking her along with him before she could wrap her arms around the Kazekage. After exchanging a few awkward handshakes with Sai and Kakashi, Gaara went to the balcony to watch them leave.

He gripped the railing tightly. So this is what rejection felt like. After having been shown Sasuke's departure and Sasuke assuring him that he was no threat to their relationship, he felt almost powerless. Almost.

"Leave it in my office," he finally replied, closing his eyes and greeting the morning sun.

Matsuri frowned behind him and rubbed her arm awkwardly. Should she say something to him? He must have been hurting over Sakura. Should she comfort him? She scratched her cheek anxiously. He probably hadn't been comforted in a long time.

"You're still here," Gaara said simply, not turning to look at her.

"Y-You didn't tell me to leave," she said, nervously.

Gaara was quiet. He still had a chance with the pink haired kunoichi. There was a shot that Sasuke wouldn't be able to give her the love she deserved. He numbly reached for the engraving on his forehead. The symbol for love. Did he even have the right to bear it? Here he was, almost wishing that Sakura would run to him instead of Sasuke...did he really have the right to love her after feeling such jealousy and envy?

What _was _love? Was it the torrent of emotions he felt when standing in her presence? Or was it the heartbreaking moments Sakura cried? Was it the happy times she spent with the redhead? Or was it the pain of watching Team Seven leave his village?

He clenched his jaw. "Emotions…" Matsuri's gaze snapped to attention. "Emotions are like…"

He narrowed his eyes and frowned. Emotions brought pain and sorrow. Emotions caused jealousy and war. It was what made him try so desperately in his childhood to kill for Sunagakure. It was what made him watch Sakura leave with pain in his heart.

"…Sometimes it's unbearable," Matsuri said gently, walking up beside him and standing there, watching the rays of sun peek out from over the cliffs. "And sometimes they're just painful."

Gaara's chest tightened and he winced, clutching the cloth covering his chest. He had remembered doing the same thing when he was just a young boy and asking his uncle about feelings and pain.

"But," Matsuri said, a small, sad smile on her face, "Other times they're wonderful." She swallowed. "Happiness isn't so hard to get, once you know where to look for it. Gaara-sama, I really do believe…" She tilted her head back and smiled cheerfully at him. "…You will find happiness."

Gaara looked at her, shocked at first. His eyes were wide in surprise. But then they softened at the corners. Yes. Emotions were powerful things.

He glanced at Matsuri. "Don't you have a report to file?"

"H-Hai, G-Gaara-sama!" she said hurriedly, her cheeks turning bright red and speeding back toward the stairs.

Gaara sighed at her antics and looked back to the rising sun.

And then he smiled.

* * *

Haruno Sakura could feel the eyes of the Uchiha on the back of her head as they walked. With Sai and Kakashi taking the lead while Sasuke took the back, Sakura felt completely isolated. Normally she would have been talking with Sai or happily running with the group on the desert sun, but ever since the previous night, she hadn't said a _word. _Terrified to look Sasuke in the eye, even as they got ready to leave Sunagakure just earlier that morning, she refused to speak with him. She couldn't even talk to Gaara properly, she felt so uncomfortable. After she had tried and failed miserably to give the Kazekage a hug (no thanks to Sasuke dragging her away), she left Suna with her tail between her legs and a beet red face. And now, as they jogged along the hot sand, Sakura just wanted to hide away in one of those damn caves.

"Wait here," Kakashi said suddenly, "Sasuke, guard Sakura. I see something up ahead." He shot a look over at Sai. "Cover me."

Immediately, Sasuke was in front of Sakura, his broad shoulders covering her and his eyes straight ahead. Sai and Kakashi disappeared in a flash, running up ahead. The couple stayed quiet, alone together for the first time since the previous night. The pink haired kunoichi swallowed. Was she supposed to say something? Should she offer up an explanation? Was he angry? Was he upset?

"S-Sasuke," Sakura struggled to say, "I-I—"

"Quiet," Sasuke interrupted her, his eyes focused on Kakashi and Sai in the distance.

Sakura sighed. Right. She needed to focus. Mildly, she wondered what it was Kakashi had seen. It could have been nothing, but you could never be too careful. So she stared at Sasuke's back, something she really hated doing ever since she had cut her hair. While it was a rather muscular back, a strong sturdy figure to gaze at, she still couldn't stand being protected. She kept telling herself it was for the sake of his mission. He was well aware she was capable of protecting herself...but it _was _his mission to guard her.

"Shimatta," Sasuke cursed, his eyes widening, "Get in."

"Get in?" Sakura asked in confusion, "What do you mean—?"

There, in the distance where Kakashi and Sai had just ran off into, came a sand storm in all of its glory. It was slowly building, accumulating more and more sand as it hurled itself toward them. Sasuke grabbed her hand tightly and yanked her toward the cliff where they had been walking along. There was a cave conveniently nearby where they could hide. As they pushed themselves inside the dark cave, they felt a 'whoosh' behind them, hearing the winds and sand whip along the rock they hid in.

"S-Sandstorm," Sakura said, her eyes filled with worry, "Kaka-sensei and Sai—!"

"Are fine," Sasuke said confidently, setting fire to a small amount of debris.

Sakura bit her lower lip and watched as the sand passed by the cave entrance, occasional sand pouring in here and there. Sasuke immediately clasped her fingers and pulled her down to sit by him. There wasn't any use in fretting. He didn't know how long they would be stuck in there, so she might as well sit. Sakura fell to the ground and glanced at him with innocent eyes.

It was then that they both realized it.

They were finally alone.

* * *

"How long do you think you can keep this up?" Sai asked Kakashi, looking up at the white haired ninja.

Kakashi frowned behind his mask. "As much as I'd like to take credit for this sandstorm..." He sweat dropped. "It's courtesy of mother nature."

Sai blinked. "I see." He picked at the corner of his art pad and frowned. "So this storm..."

"Could last five minutes or three days," Kakashi admitted. "Really depends."

"And Sakura and Sasuke..."

"Will have time to themselves," Kakashi assured him, "We'll still go through with the plan, I just won't be able to control this storm."

Sai swallowed. His sandaled feet sank further in the cold ground as he perched his pad on his lap. Well, that was interesting. All of that planning gone to waste. Luckily, he still had his little bats in each of the possible caves they could have used. Sai looked up to the one adorning their ceiling and it blinked its beady little black eyes back.

"Sakura's been off this morning," Sai said.

Kakashi, always surprised by the artist's ability to observe, nodded. "Maybe Gaara-sama had a bit more interference in their relationship than we thought."

Sai grimaced. "I switched her schedule up so he wouldn't be able to spend as much time alone with her, but you saw how well that worked out."

Kakashi coughed. "There's only so much that can work in your favor."

Sai watched as the sand whipped outside and began to draw across the pages of his art pad, dragging his brush along with his hand.

"Would that be considered fate," Sai pondered as the copy ninja leaned against the cave wall. "Or destiny?"

Kakashi tilted his chin down. "Depends." He shifted when he felt a sharp edge dig into his shoulder. "Fate and destiny...it's all how you see a situation. Whether or not it's an opportunity, is up to you."

Sai drew his brush down, tenderly drawing a dove's wings and making sure that the wings and the clouds became one. Sai rubbed his nose and stared at Kakashi.

"Sasuke and Sakura," Sai said slowly, "Fate or destiny?"

"Maybe a little of both," Kakashi replied coolly. "With everything's that happened between them, that little red string of theirs is practically dragging them to each other."

Sai smiled. "Fate and destiny..." He tilted his head thoughtfully as he placed his sketch pad back in his black bag. "Such an interesting idea..." He hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder how they're doing..."

* * *

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. He heard the winds whipping outside and the breathing of his lover by his side. They were safe and sound. They could last for a few days in the cave before they had to start to worry. He watched carefully as Sakura gently bit her lower lip in guilt and confusion.

He sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, dragging her close to him. Sasuke didn't like her being so far away.

"Sakura," he murmured in her ear, "What are you thinking?"

Sakura shifted under his touch, pulling away from his advances. He immediately frowned. Weren't they in a relationship now? Why was she distancing herself from him?

"What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes cool and calculating.

Sakura turned her gaze to face him, and he watched as her eyes trembled with tears. Had she been crying this whole time? He narrowed his onyx orbs. Was it something he did?

Sakura's feet dug in the cold sand that was slowly being heated by the fire he had created. Guilt tugged at his heart as he watched her find the words to talk to him.

"Gomenasai, Sasuke," she started off quietly.

Sasuke stared at her. Why the hell was she apologizing?

"Gaara...I don't feel anything for Gaara," she said nervously. "He confessed to me, but I rejected him."

Sasuke suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Why was she droning on about this?

"Aishiteru," she continued, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Sasuke immediately grabbed her once more and shoved her to his chest. She nudged her cheek into his chiseled chest, the tears on her face sinking through his shirt.

"I can understand if you won't ever trust me again," she hiccuped.

"I trust you."

She blinked, shocked at the immediate response.

"You're here now, aren't you?" Sasuke asked amusedly.

Yes, if the pink haired kunoichi truly wanted to stay in Sunagakure, she could have. Sakura's brow furrowed. He _trusted _her. Did that mean...?

"Does that mean...you're not mad?" Sakura asked slowly.

Sasuke pulled away and cupped her cheek reassuringly. A mischievous glint flickered in his eyes and he smirked gently down at her.

"On the contrary," he said calmly, "I'm furious."

In a heartbeat, Sakura was pressed up against the cave wall, Sasuke trailing kisses up her neck, flicking her tongue against the outer part of her ear. Her chest rose in anticipation, and he slid his hand downward toward the curve of her back, pressing his body closer to hers.

"That damn Kazekage," he hissed in her ear.

How _dare _he try to take what was rightfully an Uchiha's? The pure love of the flower belonged to him, not Gaara. He wanted to stain her light pink petals with his blood red eyes. He wanted to take her and ravage her mercilessly, pouring himself inside of her so she would be filled with him in both body and mind. He hissed and found his hand was moving on its own, wanting to go beneath her tight, black shorts. Playing with the waist band, his fingers danced over her silky smooth skin.

"We haven't had much alone time the past week," she murmured, her voice as soft as the wind itself, "When am I going to have you all to myself?"

She pulled away, her eyes shimmering in the firelight, looking to his for an answer. Sealing her lips with a kiss, Sasuke gave her his answer. His abs rolling with hers, they found their bodies entwined in a passionate heat. He parted from her for a moment, his trembling dark eyes taking in her beauty as much as they could.

"Sasuke," she spoke softly, kissing each one of his fingers with more care than the last, "I," she placed his index finger in her mouth, "_want_," twirling her tongue around it like a snake, she licked it, "you." Letting his finger fall from her plump lips, she looked down to him, his hands entangled in her hair.

"Now," he ground out harshly.

"Now," Sakura murmured. "I need to feel you."

That was all the permission Sasuke needed to slip his fingers down the spandex and brush against the entrance of her vagina. She was wet. She was wet for _him._ He started to press his first finger in, when he noticed it.

There, over Sakura's shoulder, was a beady little eyed bat, watching the pair carefully.

He narrowed his eyes. It was one of Sai's creatures. Why was it just sitting there, watching them? If Sai had wanted to send them a message, wouldn't he have done it already.

He shifted his gaze back to the panting Sakura in front of him. He closed his eyes.

"Annoying..." he muttered.

"N-Nani?" Sakura sputtered, slowly coming out of her trance.

"I won't do this to you today," Sasuke said truthfully, drawing his hand from her begging entrance. "By the time I'm through with you, you won't be able to walk." The disappointment in her eyes was heavy and he smirked. "In three days, when we're in Konoha..." he grinned and traced her mouth with his thumb. "...you'll be mine."


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

Sakura couldn't help but smile. She and Sasuke had spent the majority of the night simply by the other's side. Affectionate touches were not spared and had been given out freely by both parties. So when she woke up to dark eyes gazing fondly at her, a deep blush couldn't help but spread across her cheeks.

"Ohayo," she murmured.

"Ohayo," he replied calmly, his deep, groggy morning voice resonating through the cave.

"The sandstorm is still going strong," Sakura said, watching the gold grains of sand whip just outside of the cave.

Sasuke tilted his head back to look at the storm. "So it is."

Sakura attempted to wiggle away from him, still insecure of how to deal with the Uchiha in a relationship. But he immediately wrapped his arm across her stomach and around to the small of her back. Her heart began to pound incessantly—a commodity she was beginning to get used to.

"Don't," Sasuke simply said.

So she didn't.

Instead, she curled up against him once more, and gently ran her fingers over the smooth muscles of his bare chest. As promised, they did not engage in any "inappropriate" activities throughout the night. Their desires, however, had not been fully squelched, and it was apparent in the way they looked at each other that they both couldn't wait to get back to Konoha.

Sakura ignored the swoop of her stomach at the thought of being so vulnerable with Sasuke. She was still determined to make him admit his love for her, but her own needs were tugging at her will. She swallowed as Sasuke pressed his lips against hers, the taste of fire and oak wood in her mouth as his tongue demanded entrance.

She hazily allowed him entrance, half-mindedly embarrassed of her ratty pink morning hair dusted with sand. She had to keep her hormones in check, because they were wildly raging. It was taking everything inside of her not to tackle the heir and have her way with him.

"Patience," Sasuke mumbled against her mouth, feeling her body rise to his touch.

She chuckled against his mouth, her cheeks turning an even deeper red. Curse that awareness of his.

"I can't wait," she murmured honestly, her core throbbing against his.

"Then consider it punishment," he said in amusement, pulling away and smirking down at her, "for letting the Kazekage fall in love with you."

Sakura let a flash of hurt flicker across her face. "Are you still ups—?"

Sasuke swept her lips with his. "Ah."

Sakura wrapped her arms around him and inhaled his musky scent. "Gomen." She pressed her lips against his tenderly. "Gomen." She trailed her mouth up to his right cheek. "Gomen." And then to his left. "Gomen." To his forehead. "Gomen." And then to his closed eyes. "Gomen…"

"Enough." He captured her lips and wrestled with her for dominance. "No matter how much you apologize, you must be punished."

Sakura frowned and opened her mouth to protest. He took advantage of the situation and gently rubbed the lower part of her lip with his tongue, forcing her to bend to his will. She arched back, allowing him more access to her mouth and he took it. Like a feast waiting for him to indulge in, she laid before him, sprawled out and ready for him to eat.

"Don't," she begged, trying to pull away from him, "Don't make me want you when we can't…."

He scoffed. "Too late."

Sasuke pressed his body against hers, entwining their bodies in the sand and dirt around them. His hands wrapped around her, trapping her in a cocoon of desire, passion, love and lust. Feeling his fingers through the fabric of her clothes, Sakura moaned lightly into his mouth. The vibrations that echoed into his mouth gave him permission to go further and Sasuke let his right hand crawl up to her chest.

Feeling her heart pound as he kissed her mouth, Sasuke's own chest had his heart beating rapidly inside. Blood rushing, Sasuke dared to let his left hand drift down her lower back, letting the feeling of her overcome his entire sense of right and wrong. Pulling away from her, Sasuke made sure she was looking at him before he explained his thoughts.

"There is no 'don't,'" he said clearly, kissing her cheek, "There is no 'can't.'" He narrowed his eyes at her. "How can you tell me, 'no,' when another man has touched you?" She opened her mouth to protest but he laid a passion filled kiss on her lips once more. "No more resistance." His gaze grew tender. "I want _you_."

Sakura's green eyes widened in surprise. The great Uchiha heir who had been so bent on revenge…wanted her? She had gotten so used to rejection all these years that the idea of him wanting her was out of this world.

"Now allow me to punish you for upsetting me," Sasuke said, his eyes focused on something beyond Sakura's head. "Even if you try to resist, I'm going to make you burn inside."

As promised, he grabbed her wrists and held them above her head, popping open her shirt to feel the beautiful mounds of flesh underneath her bra. Moving his lips along the side of her neck, she gasped as he slid his hand down to her spandex and gently prodded inside to the wetness of her underwear with his strong fingers.

"Ah!" Sakura gasped, the light touch from his fingers through the fabric enough to make her convulse with desire.

He let go of her hands and leaned forward, pressing his tongue against her nipples and fondling them roughly. He rubbed his palm against her wet underwear, teasing with it as he pushed passed to get at the lips of her entrance.

Immediately, the sandstorm disappeared and the sunlight poured in. Sakura blinked at its abrupt behavior. While sandstorms were unpredictable, this was far too sudden to be considered normal. Sakura was ready to pull away at the intrusion of light, but Sasuke was not.

He pushed forward, his rather heavy body leaning on hers as he kissed her chest, licking it and caressing it with his tongue. She moaned, her gaze hazy.

"S-Sasuke," she stammered, "Kaka-sensei…S-Sai…"

"Urusai," he snapped, "Don't say another guy's name when I'm doing this." He inserted a single finger inside of her, and she covered her mouth as she moaned. "I should be the only one you're thinking about right now."

He placed another finger inside of her and swirled it around. With him inside of her, it was becoming hard to worry about Sai or Kakashi walking in on them. Which would be happening very soon, what with the storm having ended.

With the Uchiha doting on her body…

She panted as he inserted a third finger.

…She couldn't care less.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto stared down into the contents of his ramen bowl and let out a deep sigh, blowing away some of the steam in the process. Normally the mere sight of ramen was able to cure him of any sadness or worries. But with no word from his wife, there wasn't anything to comfort him.

He missed her home cooked meals, and the way she would hold his hand. The reassuring words she gave him while kissing his neck and cheeks. She was his best friend who had always been there for him. When everyone else looked away, she watched on.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto said, "You can sit next to me, if you want."

His old sensei grinned softly behind him. That ninja awareness of his had grown so much throughout the years.

"Ch, how's our Hokage doing?" he asked, plopping down next to Naruto as he slurped back his eighth bowl of noodles.

Naruto sank in his seat. He had hoped that Hinata would have been home by then, but he had received yet another letter saying to give them _another _week. Protocol demanded that if they ask for another week after this, he had to send team after them. He swallowed the hot liquid down, frowning. It was something he didn't want to do. Normally when that happened, none returned.

"Naruto?" Iruka asked, waving a hand in front of his student's face.

"E-Eh?" he asked, spitting out a bit of pork and coughing on egg, "G-Gomen." He laughed anxiously and scratched the back of his head. "I'm just a little out of it."

Iruka gave him a look as Naruto let out a satisfied sigh and set his empty bowl of ramen down. "One more for the Hokage of Konoha!"

Iruka grinned fondly. It had been a difficult road for Naruto, but he finally made it. He had proved to everyone that he was more than just a rejected orphan boy. He showed the world that he was worthy of being named Hokage.

Naruto stopped slamming the counter top once Teuchi waved his hand over his shoulder and started preparing another bowl as requested. His face immediately returned to a solemn dread and he glanced at his former sensei.

"Hinata's not back?" Iruka asked knowingly. "What's this top secret mission you sent her on?"

"She's gotta retrieve Sakura-chan's medical supplies," Naruto said, tracing circles on the wood table in front of him. "We haven't been separated this long before…"

Iruka smiled sadly. Being the Hokage had its perks, yes, but it wasn't so easy for him to leave the village as he pleased. Why, just a few years ago, he would have been able to request from Tsunade leave of absence and then run off like the lovesick fool he was.

"She'll be happy to hear you missed her so much when she returns," Iruka said, trying to cheer his former pupil up.

"I guess," Naruto said, "Just sucks 'cause Sasuke-teme and Sakura-chan are out…"

Iruka grinned cheekily. "Don't tell me you're lonely."

Naruto laughed. "Sounds kind of stupid, huh?"

Iruka's smile faded, and he shook his head. "Not at all."

The trio had been close throughout their genin day, and once Sasuke returned, it only deepened their friendship. Iruka scratched his cheek and thought for a moment. There was _one_ topic to distract his student…

"So Sasuke and Sakura…" Iruka started, sipping at the cup of tea laid out in front of him, "…they're doing okay?"

Naruto grinned cheekily. According to the reports Kakashi had been sending him, they were doing _more _than okay. Dates and romantic gestures on both sides of the relationship… What more could Naruto ask for? He frowned.

"They're doing okay," he admitted, scratching his chin, "But Sasuke's kind of slow when it comes to emotions."

Iruka laughed awkwardly. Yes. That man most certainly had issues when he was growing up. He really didn't have much experience with normal relationships after Itachi slaughtered his whole family…

"Sakura has always been one to draw them out of him though," Iruka said reassuringly. "That's why they make such a great couple."

Naruto chuckled. "I didn't take you for a guy that likes to gossip, sensei."

The older man's ears turned pink. "I-I'm just concerned about my former students!"

Naruto held up a hand as Teuchi set down two bowls of ramen in front of them. "Relax. I'm kidding." He grinned cheekily at him. "I've got Kaka-sensei and Sai working on their relationship."

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "Should you really be meddling?"

Naruto shrugged and rested his hands behind his head. "Sakura-chan's been in love with the bastard since we were little." He shut his eyes happily. "I want to make sure she gets what she wants."

Iruka's gaze softened. He could recall when the blonde Hokage had been so ardently in love with that pink haired kunoichi. When he turned his affections to Hinata, he could never be sure, but Iruka did know that Sakura would always have a special place in his heart.

"Guess some things never change," Iruka muttered to himself with a smile.

Naruto peeked one eye open. "You say something?"

Iruka shook his head. "Nah. Just let me know if I can do anything to help. I still think of you guys as little kids."

"Ch," Naruto snorted, rocking back in his chair. "Little kids…" A look of realization dawned on him. "Actually, there _is _something you can do to help…"

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke silently ran behind Sakura, watching her every move. She jumped from tree to tree, the Uchiha emblem on her back moving against the shadows and sunlight peeking through the leaves above them. Her pink shoulder-length hair swayed from side to side, as did her hips.

His eyes followed the muscles that bulged out from under her spandex as she leapt on each branch. He let a small smirk play out on his lips. She was driving him crazy. From the outside, however, he knew he looked calm. And of course, he was well aware of every motion each of the ninja in front of him was making. Her distracting body wasn't going to keep him from doing his mission correctly.

Still though, it provided a nice rhythm for him to run to. With every bounce of that tight ass of hers, he pounded his feet into the bark beneath him. In the corner of his eye, he saw Sai and Kakashi glance at each other; their ears still tinted red.

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. He had noticed the night before that one of Sai's artistic creations was spying on the couple. Now, with the interest from both Kakashi and Sai in their relationship over the past week, and the sandstorm jutsu Kakashi had cast over the night to _keep _them in the cave, Sasuke grew more and more suspicious.

In fact, when the storm _had _ended and Kakashi and Sai almost walked in on a very intimate scene (Sasuke had pulled away right before, of course), Sasuke's curiosity and questioning stayed silent on his thin lined lips. He was well aware that Kakashi and Sai knew what was going on before they arrived. Why else would the sandstorm end so abruptly?

Sasuke wanted to know. What exactly was going on with Sai and Kakashi?

His gaze shifted back to the pink haired kunoichi leaping up ahead of him. He watched her tirelessly grab a soldier pill from her fanny pack and pop it into her mouth. He clenched his jaw. As much as he was all for getting to Konoha as soon as possible, he was that much _more _aware of how Sakura's body was holding up.

She hadn't gotten a proper amount of sleep throughout the entire time they were at Sunagakure, and the previous night, she had only gotten four hours of sleep—Sasuke and her having agreed to take shifts watching over one another throughout the night.

He pursed his lips. It had taken a lot out of her. Only his trained eyes could see the slight hiccup in her step, and he was positive that Kakashi and Sai weren't aware of it. He tightened his jaw. That damn woman…

So Sasuke stopped running. Immediately, Sai, Kakashi and Sakura all halted to look at him, their eyes filled with question.

"Let's rest," he said in a low voice.

Kakashi raised one eyebrow up.

Uchiha Sasuke never asked to rest. His old sensei glanced at Sakura, who was panting slightly. Under his trained eye, he noticed the slight change of color in her cheeks. There was something wrong.

"Ah," Kakashi agreed. "We can set up camp here for tonight."

And that's how Kakashi found himself under the glare of his former pupil from across the small campfire burning. Sasuke shifted his gaze only when the pink haired kunoichi resting in his lap winced in her sleep and snuggled her cheek deeper into his thigh. The last Uchiha gently rubbed her forehead until the creases disappeared and a calm look took over her discomfort.

He lifted his gaze to meet Kakashi's and narrowed his blood red eyes.

"Tell me," he said.

Kakashi raised one eyebrow, fully aware that he was trapped in the Uchiha's genjutsu otherwise he wouldn't have spoke. With the tender way he was treating Sakura, there was no way he would jeopardize waking her.

"Should've told Naruto we can't keep a secret," Kakashi sighed tiredly, stretching out against the tree he leaned on. "What do you want to know?"

"I know you and Sai were spying on us this whole trip," Sasuke stated coolly. "Also, that second sandstorm last night was obviously made by you."

Kakashi grinned. "Ch. Well," he shifted calmly, "I think it's pretty normal for us to meddle in your affairs."

Sasuke's face turned dark. "I don't _need _you to meddle in my affairs."

Kakashi snorted. "The Hokage seems to think differently."

The dark haired ninja let his fingers play in Sakura's hair. He stroked it gently.

"Naruto shouldn't have anything to do with us," he said lightly. "Why is he involved?"

"You don't think that the last survivor of the Uchiha clan trying to rebuild it with the head medical ninja wouldn't be an issue of concern for him?" Kakashi asked calmly. "Your genetic trait is going to strengthen our village. The sooner you pass it on, the better."

"Is that what he's so worried about?" Sasuke laughed, irritation bubbling up in his chest. "I'm sleeping with her in three days. There shouldn't be a worry." His eyes flashed menacingly. "Report that to him when we get back."

Kakashi rolled his eye. "Report it yourself."

Sasuke stayed silent. Naruto and he hadn't had a 'sex talk' since the dobe had asked him how to properly approach Hinata's clitoris. He winced, recalling how he flicked his tongue out, questioning if it seemed too hard or not hard enough.

"He's really worried," his old sensei said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Just…talk to him, okay? Let him know that you and Sakura seem to be fine."

Sasuke rested his hand on Sakura's slender stomach. "He shouldn't be worried."

"He can't help it," Kakashi muttered, "He watched her pine for you for all those years." He paused. "We don't want you to break her heart again."

Sasuke's jaw tensed.

"I won't."


End file.
